Full text of "The Instructor"

BhBR 



November 
1965 



Instructor 

NOVEMBER 1965 






m 






o 

Z 



o 
o 



01 

£ 

O 
> 






UJ 

> 

O 

Z 



u 







o 
■a 
ft, 



Some Expressions 

of Appreciation 
and Thanksgiving 

by President David 0. McKay 

It has been well over a hundred years since my 
grandfather, William McKay, and my grandmother, 
Ellen Oman McKay, left Thurso, Scotland, having 
become converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-day Saints. They settled in Ogden, Utah; 
and so in the same year did the Powells and the 
Evans families from Wales. And William McKay's 
second son, David, met a little girl, 16 years of age, 
Jennette Evans, who became David's wife. 

On April 28, 1875, William McKay, my grand- 
father, was set apart by Orson Pratt as a mission- 
ary. Later he went back to his native land as a 
missionary and went up to Wick Thurso, and Aber- 
deen, Scotland, bearing witness that the Gospel had 
been restored and that he knew it to be a fact. 

About 1882, his son, David, my father, went as a 
missionary. He, too, labored in Glasgow, Dundee, 
Aberdeen, and in Thurso; and he was president of 
the Scottish Conference. 

In 1897, I went as a missionary, an unmarried 
man, young, earnest, and eager as young mission- 
aries are. I was assigned to go to Scotland to labor. 
After a few months the presidency of the European 
Mission, then President Rulon S. Wells, Joseph L. 
McMurrin, and Henry W. Naisbett, appointed me 
president of the Glasgow Conference. 

An old lady in Thurso, whom I visited in 1898, 
had been the playmate of my grandmother. She 
remembered when they were baptized, and she said, 
"I remember when they dipped them i' the Burn; 
do ye do that noo?" 

I assured her that we did. 

"And are ye Willie's grandson? Ach a' me, I am 
gettin' auld!" 

As I look back in reminiscent moods upon those 

events and many others that have crowded my mind, 

I have profound gratitude in my heart that some 

elder over a hundred years ago knocked at a door in 

Thurso, or really in Janetstown near Thurso, and 

(Concluded on following page.) 

(For Thanksgiving lessons; for Course 9, lesson of December 5, 
"A Leader Is Righteous"; for Course 6, lesson of February 20, "The 
Gospel — a Plan for Right Living"; for Course 18, lesson of January 
23, "Resolution"; for Course 24, lesson of January 30, "Human 
Nature Can Be Improved"; to support Family Home Evening lessons 
39 and 44; and of general interest.) 




"OPEN THOU MINE EYES" 

Help me not to miss the splendor 

In the commonplace, I pray. 
Lord, I ask for inner vision 

As I walk in faith today. 
There are blessings all around me, 

Reaching out for me to see, 
Give me sight to recognize them, 

All the good Thou hast for me. 

Let my gratitude be constant, 

Let my heart respond with praise, 
Let a prayer of thanks be given 

For the manifested ways 
Thou dost show Thy daily guidance, 

Thy protection and Thy care; 
"Open Thou mine eyes," my Father, 

To Thy presence everywhere. 

— Delia Adams Leitner. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



421 



SOME EXPRESSIONS OF APPRECIATION AND THANKSGIVING (Concluded from preceding page.) 



bore witness that the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been 
restored. I am thankful that my grandfather and 
grandmother believed that, because that was the be- 
ginning of all the events that have happened in the 
century to our family to this moment. 
Grateful, am I? Words are too feeble. 

Purpose of the Gospel 

What is the purpose of preaching the Gospel? It 
is illustrated in the song we sing, "Joy, Praise, Ex- 
altation of the Soul"; it is expressed in the scripture: 
". . . Men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 
2:25.) 

Happiness is one of the aims of the Gospel; not 
pain, not grief, not gloom, not pleasure. There is a 
difference between pleasure and happiness. Happi- 
ness is the joy of the soul, always. The Prophet 
Joseph Smith declared that, "Happiness is the object 
and design of our existence, and will be the end 
thereof if we pursue the path that leads to it." And 
this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, 
and living all the commandments of God. But we 
cannot live the commandments without first know- 
ing them, and we cannot expect to know all or more 
than we now know unless we comply with or keep 
those commandments we have already received. Our 
desire is to declare to the world what these command- 
ments are, as recorded in the gospels giving the ac- 
count of Jesus' teachings and those of the Twelve 
who followed Him. 

What Are the Elements of Happiness? 

The first condition of happiness is a clear con- 
science. Daniel Webster said: "Weighed in the 
balance, conscience compared with the world — 
conscience makes the world seem but a bubble, for 
God himself is in conscience giving its authority." 

Associated with that is the principle of repent- 
ance. Peter said, "... Repent, and be baptized 
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the 
remission of sins. . . ." (Acts 2:38.) He had in mind 
the cleansing of your spirit, cleansing of your mind 
of all antipathies, suspicions, and hatred, cruelties to 
one another. 

The second requisite of joy and happiness is free- 
dom. I do not recall who wrote it, but one person 
said: "God desires to make men like Himself, but 
to do so he must first make them free." 

The third requisite for happiness is a sense of 
self-mastery. Learn to control your appetites; learn 
to control your passions. You are not a slave to 



anything. Physical qualities are secondary to the 
sense that you are master of yourself. If you have 
a sense of mastery, you control your tongue. That 
is power. 

The fourth condition of happiness is doing your 
best to keep your health by obeying the laws of life. 

The fifth requisite for happiness is appreciation of 
blessings and possessions. You do not possess 
money? Yet you have the greatest blessings in all 
the world. You have eyes to see, you have ears to 
hear, you have loved ones whom you can serve, you 
have your children; and if you have a testimony of 
the Gospel, you know that that loved one, that wife, 
that husband, that child, may be yours throughout 
eternity. Death cannot end love if the spirit exists. 
Do you know that? Then you can be happy. What 
if you do have a few trials? You have the possessions 
of the soul, and that spirit can have those possessions 
to continue throughout eternity if you believe in 
Jesus Christ and his immortality — and you must 
believe that. These things constitute the Gospel. 

Clear Conscience 

It is glorious when you can lie down at night with 
a clear conscience that you have done your best not 
to offend anyone and have injured no one. You have 
tried to cleanse your heart of all unrighteousness, and 
if you put forth precious effort you can sense as you 
pray to God to keep you that night that He accepts 
your effort. You have a sense that you are God's 
child, a person whose soul God wants to save. You 
have the strength to resist evil. You also have the 
realization that you have made the world better for 
having been in it. These and countless other virtues 
and conditions are all wrapped up in the Gospel of 
Jesus Christ. 

You have the knowledge that your soul will live 
after death comes to your mortal body, and that if 
you have lost loved ones, you will meet them. By 
the power of the priesthood whatsoever is bound on 
earth is bound in heaven. This is an eternal promise. 
I referred to William McKay and Ellen Oman, my 
grandparents; and I referred to my father and moth- 
er. I shall meet them and recognize them and love 
them as I recognized and loved them here. 

That, in part, is the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and 
my heart is full of thanksgiving for it, and for the 
happiness and salvation the Gospel brings to man- 
kind. 



Library File Reference: Happiness. 



422 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



Suggested Lesson for Stake Conference 
Sunday, First Quarter, 1966 

PRAISEWORTHY 
PERFORMANCE 

Each Sunday after the administration of the 
sacrament, a bishop generously praised his deacons 
for the reverent manner in which they performed 
their duties. Ward members wondered why he gave 
the boys such favorable recognition when they were 
always quite noisy and disrespectful during the 
services. His explanation to the few who questioned 
him was that by praising the boys he would encour- 
age them and at the same time make them feel an 
obligation to do better. 

(7s the bishop's approach basically sound? Could 
parents, the quorum adviser, Sunday School teach- 
ers, and home teachers be of service in improving 
the conduct of the boys? If so, specifically how?) 

A Sunday School superintendent always made it 
a point to commend those who had given 2 ^-minute 
talks, usually using the phrase, "wonderful, stimu- 
lating talks." The fact was that many of the boys 
and girls in the ward were in the habit of reading 
directly from a paper or book, often stumbling over 
unfamiliar words. When asked why he praised 
those who were obviously not well prepared, he 
pointed out that it is no easy task to speak before a 
large group in the worship service and that those 
who perform need recognition and encouragement. 

(Is this type of recognition beneficial? Who is 
specifically charged with the responsibility of help- 
ing the boys and girls to choose topics and to give 
well prepared 2 fy -minute talks? What part could the 
home evening program play in the preparation?) 



Obviously the bishop meant well in praising his 
deacons. He wanted to raise the standard of con- 
duct of the boys. The superintendent, too, was in- 
terested in improving the quality of talks and in 
helping boys and girls to speak effectively. 

The basic concern is, of course, the training of the 
individual. If the home performs its functions prop- 
erly and receives the help of Sunday School teachers, 
priesthood advisers, and other officers and teachers 
of the various Church organizations, then the neces- 
sary training to insure success will be given. With 
success should come praise, not that which is general 
and quite meaningless, but that which pinpoints 
accomplishment. 

If the girl giving a 2 ^-minute talk has a mean- 
ingful message, she can be complimented for that. 
If deacons perform their duties with dispatch, they 
can be complimented for that specific attainment. 
But there should be some form of success before 
praise is given. 

To praise for the wrong things, to praise for a 
performance that is significantly below the ability 
of the performer, is to encourage people, both the 
performer and the audience, to believe that what 
has been done is right; it is to encourage inferiority; 
it is to perpetuate mediocrity. 

Praise, like gold and diamonds, owes its value 
only to its scarcity. It becomes cheap as it becomes 
vulgar, and will no longer raise expectation or ani- 
mate enterprise. — Johnson. 

It is genuine praise that helps people to grow. 

— Dale H. West. 

References: 

Discourses of Brigham Young, pages 198-208. 

Family Home Evening Manual. 

Joseph F. Smith, Gospel Doctrine, page 377. 

Melchizedek Priesthood Lessons, 1965. 

Priesthood Correlation in Home Teaching, pages 46-53. 

The Sunday School Handbook, 1964, pages 50-52. 



INSTRUCTOR STAFF 



Editor: 
President David O. McKay 

Associate Editors: 

General Superintendent George R. Hill 

Lorin F. Wheelwright 

Business Manager: 
Richard E. Folland 

Acting Managing Editor: 
Burl Shephard 

Production Editor: 
Goldie B. Despain 

Manuscript Editor: 
Virginia Baker 

Research Editor: 
H. George Bickerstaff 

Art Director: 
Sherman T. Martin 

Circulation Manager: 
Joan Barkdull 

Instructor Secretary: 
Mary Anne Clark 

Consultant : 
A. William Lund 



Instructor Committee: 

Chairman Lorin F. Wheelwright, Richard E. 
Folland, Marie F. Felt, A. William Lund, Ken- 
neth S. Bennion, H. Aldous Dixon, Leland H. 
Monson, Alexander Schreiner, Lorna C. Alder, 
Vernon J. LeeMaster, Claribel W. Aldous, 
Melba Glade, Henry Eyring, Clarence Tyndall, 
Wallace G. Bennett, Camille W. Halliday, 
Margaret Hopkinson, Mima Rasband, Edith 
Nash, Alva H. Parry, Bernard S. Walker, 
Paul B. Tanner, Lewis J. Wallace, Arthur D. 
Browne, Howard S. Bennion, Herald L. Carl- 
ston, Bertrand F. Harrison, Willis S. Peterson, 
Greldon L. Nelson, Jane Hopkinson, G. Robert 
Ruff, Anthony I. Bentley, Marshall T. Burton, 
Calvin C. Cook, A. Hamer Reiser, Robert M. 
Cundick, Clarence L. Madsen, J. Elliot Cam- 
eron, Bertrand A. Childs. 



Published by the Deseret Sunday School Union 
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day 
Saints, the first day of every month at Salt Lake 
City, Utah. Entered at Salt Lake City Post Office 
as second class matter acceptable for mailing at 
special rate of postage provided in Section 1103, 
Act of Oct. 3, 1917, authorized on July 8, 1928, 
Copyright 1965 by the Deseret Sunday School 
Union Board. All rights reserved. 

Thirty to forty-five days' notice required for 
change of address. When ordering a change, 
please include address slip from a recent issue 
of the magazine. Address changes cannot be 
made unless the old address as well as the new 
one is included. Also, report the new postal ZIP 
Code number. 

Mail subscriptions to The Instructor, 79 South 
State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84111. Subscrip- 
tion price is $3 per year paid in advance. Single 
issues, 35 cents each. 

Bound volumes sell for $6.75 when all maga- 
zines are furnished by The Instructor. When sub- 
scriber supplies his own issues, binding charge 
is $3.75. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



423 



PALESTINE . . . 

Locale of World. Influence 



In his latest book, The Source, 1 James A. Miche- 
ner has much to say about the geography of the 
land of Palestine and the various peoples who have 
lived there during the last six thousand years. He 
structures his novel chronologically. Starting with 
the civilization that located and laid the foundation 
stones for Tell Makor, which is a fictitious artificial 
mound built gradually by succeeding civilizations 
as they constructed city after city on the ruins of 
past cultures, Michener concerns himself with the 
history of each succeeding civilization up to the 
present. Tell Makor, though fictitious, symbolizes 
what archaeologists have learned concerning the past 
history of Palestine from hundreds of such tells that 
have been studied. 

To understand Palestine and the part it has 
played in history, we must see it as a part of a larger 
geographical unit in which Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, 
and the tribes of Israel played an important role. 
One geographer has aptly pointed out that if we 
put our right thumb in the Mediterranean Sea, our 
index finger in the Black Sea, our middle finger in 
the Caspian Sea, our ring finger in the Persian 
Gulf, and our little finger in the Red Sea, then we 
can lift up the territory which is so vital to an 
understanding of Israel. This territory lies between 
the Nile River in Egypt and the Tigris River in 
the old Babylonian civilization. 

James Henry Breasted, American archaeologist, 
thought this territory stretching around the Sahara 
Desert from the Persian Gulf, through the Mesopo- 
tamia, through Palestine to Egypt similar in form 
to a crescent moon and called it the Fertile Crescent. 
With this geographical layout, Palestine became a 
land bridge uniting Egypt with the Mesopotamian 
civilizations. Egyptians and Chaldeans or Babylon- 
ians traversed this land bridge of Palestine to do 



(For Course 12, lessons of January 23 and 30, "Palestine" and 
"Life in Palestine"; for Course 14, lesson of January 9, "In the 
Time of the Herodians"; for Course 26, general use; and of general 
interest. ) 

!AU quotations by permission of Random House, Inc., New York, 
from The Source, a novel by James Michener. © Copyright 1965 by 
Random House, Inc. 

"Leland H. Monson is chairman of the Division of Humanities at 
Weber State College in Ogden, Utah, which sparks his interest and 
knowledge of such works as Michener's new book on Palestine. He 
earned degrees from Weber State College, the Universities of Utah 
and Chicago, and attended Stanford University. Born in Preston, 
Idaho, Dr. Monson married Ada Button; and they have five children. 
He has been working in the Sunday School since he was 15 years old, 
and now serves on the General Board of the Deseret Sunday School 
Union, as well as on the Ogden Stake high council. 



by Leland H. Monson* 

business or conduct wars with each other. Palestin- 
ians thus became a bilingual or trilingual people, un- 
derstanding and speaking Egyptian and whatever 
language prevailed in Mesopotamia. 

The map below shows the roads over which 
people traveled in Palestine to reach Egypt or the 
Mesopotamia. 

Michener feels that a more meaningful concept 

than "The Fertile Crescent," is the concept of "The 

Focus of Forces." Since the idea is partially new 

and since it seems to give us another sound view of 

Palestine, I quote from his book: 

"Since the area's a natural highway, it's always been 
a focus of forces. Even in geology. We're a fracture point 
where continents meet and twist. Many earthquakes and 
violent storms. You remember what Stekelis found along 
the River Jordan?" 




THE ROUTES 
OF PALESTINE 



TO RED SEA 



Subdominant m>mm* 

Others &*'»««**«****'*«*»'««*« 



424 



THE INSTRUCTOR 




Cullinane recalled the discovery that had startled the 
archaeological world some years before: an area where rocks 
had once been horizontal was torn apart and tilted ver- 
tically in the air. Such fractures were common throughout 
the world, but imbedded in his tilted areas Stekelis found 
parts of a skeleton and unmistakable tools of men who had 
been living before the upper soil had been laid down or the 
area tilted . . . say, a million years ago. "Imagine the 
earthquake those characters went through," he said. 

"Point I'm trying to make," Eliav insisted, "is that 
even the first men in this area were caught up in violence. 
Ever since, it's been the same way. Down here mighty 
Egypt. Up here the Mesopotamian powers. As these great 
forces pressed against each other, the point where they 
usually met was Israel. When we stand out on the tell, 
John, we shouldn't visualize fertile fields but dusty Egypt- 
ians thrusting up from the south with mighty armies, and 
the Mesopotamians swinging down from the north with 
equal strength. It was in this cauldron, this violent march- 
ing of many feet, that Israel was born." 

"You think this has been the permanent characteristic?" 

"Yes. Because after the Egypt-Mesopotamia struggle 
came the Sea Peoples arriving from the west" — with a 
broad sweep of his hand across the Mediterranean he in- 
dicated the coming of the Phoenicians and the Philistines 
with their chariots and weapons of iron — "opposing the 
Syrians moving in from the east. More fractures, more 
violence, then the Greeks from the west locked in mortal 
combat with the Persians from the east. Then Romans on 
their way to fight Parthians. And Byzantines thundering 
against the Arabs. Most dramatic, I suppose, were the 
Crusades, when Christians from Europe smashed against 
Muslims from Asia. This was always the battleground, the 
focus of forces. In recent times we've had Napoleon here 



If we put our right thumb in the Mediterranean Sea, our 
index finger in the Black Sea, our middle finger in the 
Caspian Sea, our ring finger in the Persian Gulf, and 
our little finger in the Red Sea, we can lift up the 
territory which is so vital to understanding Israel. 

battling the Turks in Acre, and lately the Germans of 
Rommel trying to capture Jerusalem and Damascus." 

"You think the focus-of-forces concept more meaning- 
ful than the old fertile-crescent idea?" (Page 121.) 

Out of this territory, "The Fertile Crescent," or 
"The Focus of Forces," as Michener prefers to call 
it, came ideas that have revolutionized world think- 
ing and ideas which reveal the strength of the Jew — 
monotheism of the Jew, faith to keep sacred the 
Sabbath day, and the majestic, sublime morality of 
the Sermon on the Mount, to mention only a few. 
Standards of conduct were set and observed in Pal- 
estine. Men were forbidden to dress as women and 
women were forbidden to dress as men, "for all that 
do so are an abomination." (Deuteronomy 22:5.) 

The Jewish love of the Sabbath day is beauti- 
fully portrayed by Michener. He wrote: 

So as the summer passed, John Cullinane became 
less a Catholic and more a Jew, immersing himself in the 
weekly ritual that had kept the Jews together through 
dispersions that would have destroyed a lesser people. In 
fact, he grew to love the coming of Friday sunset, when 
Jewish men, freshly washed and dressed, walked like kings 
to their synagogues to go through the rites of welcoming 
Queen Shabbat. More sacred than any other day of the 
Hebrew calendar was this Shabbat, when the creation of the 
world and God's compact with the Jews were remembered, 
and it occurred once each week, more sacred perhaps than 
Easter to a Christian or Ramadan to a Muslim. Inside the 
synagogue Cullinane waited with a kind of joy for the arri- 
val of that moment in the ceremony when the Jews began 
to sing the powerful hymn composed many centuries ago in 
Zefat. The cantor would be chanting some quite ordinary 
passages whose words Cullinane could not understand, and 
then of a sudden the man would throw back his head and 
utter the joyous cry: 

"Come, my Beloved, let us meet the Bride. 
The presence of Shabbat let us receive." 

Nine long verses followed, but after each the cry of joy 
would be repeated, with all the congregation joining, and 
Cullinane memorized the words of both the cry and the 
verses, singing them under his breath as the cantor intoned 
the mystical words which reported the love of the Jews 
for this sacred day: 

"Come, let us go to greet Shabbat, 
For it is a wellspring of blessing. 
From the beginning it was ordained, 
Last in production, first in thought. 

And they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, 

And all that would swallow thee shall be far away. 

Thy God shall rejoice over thee 

As a bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride." 

(Page 468.) 

Palestine, geographically, has been defined in 
terms of a fertile crescent and of a focus of forces. 
Its life, from its contribution to human thought, has 
given us, among many other concepts, monotheism, 
the sublime morality of the Sermon on the Mount, 
and such standards as proper clothing to be worn 
and love for the Holy Sabbath. 



Library File Reference: Palestine. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



425 



JODY AND STEPHEN KNEW 



It was Sunday evening; and Jody, Stephen, 
Gaylene, Kristin, and their mother had been to 
church. So had their daddy. He was always there 
because he was the bishop of their ward. He sat on 
the stand at every meeting and his family was very 
proud of him. 

As we neared their home, the children were eager 
to show me their new home. It was white, and their 



daddy had just given it a new coat of paint that 
freshened it up so well that it looked right brand 
new; and it was brand new to them. 

In the front of their house was a beautiful lawn 
and some zinnias that the boys had helped their 
mother plant. 

In the back yard was more lawn and a lot more 
yard where more lawn was going to be planted, the 





God Mode Everything 

by / 3 

Stephen Eldredge 
God mode +he sun He 
mode sunflowers and fu/ips 
and blossoms on +be trees. 
God made strawberries 
and raspberries and fornafoes 
and cucumbers. 

God made "frees and 
mountains ~t~oo. 



426 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



boys said. And there were apple trees and peach 
trees; apricot trees and cherry trees. There were 
even strawberries and raspberries. Next year there 
would be more, they said. 

As we talked together, I wondered where all the 
lovely things they had in their yard came from. They 
knew. They even knew who gave us the sun, the 
moon, the stars, the birds, the animals, and every- 
thing else we had. 

It was Stephen who told me that God made day- 
light and dark. Stephen said God made the sun 
so it would give us light during the day, and He 
made a moon for us to see at night. He even made 
the stars, Stephen said. In fact, this is Stephen's 
story as he told it to me. 

He said, as he pointed to a picture he had just 
made, "This is the sun. It is way up in the air. 
Then there's the moon. It's littler than the sun. 
Then there are the stars in the sky. We see the 
moon and stars at night. The sun gives us day- 
light. God made the sun and the stars and the 
moon, and He made the day and night, too." 

On another day, so Jody said, God separated 
the water from the land; and He called the land 
"earth" and the water "sea." We even got out the 
globe to see how much land and water there was, 
and we were really surprised. There was more 
"sea" than some of us had realized. 

Then God knew that we would need food, so he 
made grass and trees and plants of all kinds. Jody 
and Stephen had some right in their own back yard. 

Jody remembered that there was a fruit tree in 
the Garden of Eden, so he painted a picture of it 
and even wrote his very own story about it. This is 
what he said: 

"Once I got some fruit and I saved the seeds. 
I planted the seeds and now look at the tree. God 
made the very first fruit tree. It was in the Garden 
of Eden. Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of 
Eden. God made them, too." 

And that wasn't all. As we talked, we learned 
that God had created great big whales that live in 
the ocean; also all the fish and other creatures that 
live in the sea, and rivers and wherever water is to 
be found. 

Then Stephen remembered about the seagulls 
that ate the crickets, thus saving the crops for the 

(For Course 1, lesson of March 20, "We Make Our Home 
Beautiful"; for Course 2, lessons of January 9 and 16, "The Lord 
Created Our Earth" and "Adam Named the Animals"; and of 
general interest.) 

Seven-year-old Jody Eldredge explains his idea of the sun, 
moon, and stars to little Gaylene (two) and Stephen 
(five). They are children of Bishop and Sister J. Lloyd 
Eldredge, Mountain View 4th Ward, Hillside (Utah) Stake. 

NOVEMBER 1965 



Pioneers who had settled in the Salt Lake Valley. 
Just to show what they looked like, he painted a 
picture of them, too, and it was very good. 

Besides the seagulls, we talked of other birds 
that God had created; and we remembered other 
birds that fly in the sky; also the ducks, chickens, 
geese, pheasants, and all other birds that stay close 
to the ground. 

But God made so many other things, too, like 
cattle and horses and all other kinds of animals. 
He even made creeping things such as bugs and 
worms and caterpillars. 

Then God created the very best thing of all — 
a man; a man who was like God, our Heavenly 
Father, in that he had a body like God had. And 
so that the man would not be lonely, He created 
a woman to be his wife. These two were the very 
first father and mother in all the world. Jody and 
Stephen were glad that God made fathers and 
mothers; especially glad that He had chosen such 
good ones for them. 

After God had placed the first man, named Adam, 
and the first woman, named Eve, in the Garden of 
Eden, He gave them a really big job to do. He 
brought all the animals and the birds to Adam so he 
could give them each a name: 

And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the 
fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field. . . . 
(Genesis 2:20.) 

And whatsoever Adam called every living crea- 
ture, that was the name thereof. (Genesis 2:19.) 

And God saw every thing that he had made, and, 
behold, it was very good. . . . (Genesis 1:31.) 

And as Jody and Stephen and I talked things 
over, we agreed. Everything that God had made 
was very good, and we were grateful. 

Library File Reference: Creation. Marie t . V elt. 




Photo by Lee Van Wagoner. 

427 




mb 




by Burl Shephard* 

O give me Samuel's ear, 
The open ear, O Lord, 
Alive and quick to hear 
Each whisper of thy word, 
Like him to answer at thy call 
And to obey thee first of all. 

O give me Samuel's mind, 

A sweet, unmurmuring faith, 

Obedient and resigned to thee 

In life and death, 

That I may read with childlike eyes, 

Truths that are hidden from the wise! 1 

What is the purpose of life? 

It is to prove man's metal. It is to gain experi- 
ence. It is to become rich! 

"I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the 
fire, that thou mayest be rich. . . ." (Revelation 
3:18.) ". . . He that hath eternal life is rich." 
(Doctrine and Covenants 6:7.) 

In the fires of opportunity, temptation, and ad- 
versity, man may prove his metal and forge his link 
in the golden chain of family exaltation. But each 
individual, in whatever role he is cast in life, must 
forge that link by enduring to the end in a life of 
selfless devotion to causes beyond himself. 

This is the unusual story of a man who has tried 
to live that life, like Samuel, of "sweet, unmurmur- 
ing faith, obedient and resigned" to the working out 
of life's purposes, as the Unseen Hand has seen fit 
to direct. On more than one occasion he could 
have said, with Abraham, "Eternity was our cover- 
ing and our rock and our salvation, as we journeyed. 
. . ." (Abraham 2:16.) 

His name is Bertram John Coombs. 

Unusual War Experiences 

In the Battle of Paschendale he was one of four 
men ordered to advance against two enemy pill- 



(For Course 6, lesson of January 16, "The Power of Faith"; for 
Course 8, lesson of January 30, "Abraham, the Faithful"; for Course 
18, lesson of January 30, "Faith"; for general use of Course 24; to 
support Family Home Evening lessons, 33, 34, and 43; and of general 
interest.) 

1 "Hushed Was the Evening Hymn," Hymns, The Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-day Saints, No. 252. 
*See footnote page 431. 



boxes, under heavy machine gun fire, and destroy 
the opposition. A comrade crawled over to one 
pillbox, pulled the pin from a grenade, timed it, 
and threw it in. Bert and his buddy managed to 
crawl behind the other pillbox; but when they sud- 
denly entered the doorway, ready to fire and be 
fired upon, the surprised enemy soldiers surrendered 
without a struggle. For bravery in action he was 
awarded the Military Medal by the Duke of Con- 
naught. 

After a bout with trench fever, he became a 
machine gunner. Engaged in open fighting, with 
the objective straight ahead, his unit became lost 
in heavy mist and smoke from the shells. When the 
sun came out and the mist had cleared, they were 
exposed to direct fire from the enemy. They had to 
dig in and wait for an opportunity to change posi- 
tion. When a severely wounded man needed to be 
carried out through a valley to safety, Bert and 
three others were commissioned to carry the stretch- 
er. While crossing the valley, a shell burst on Bert's 
right; a fragment zipped past his face, and his 
buddy on the left staggered and fell. The shell 
fragment had cut his throat. 

Bert Coombs was a married man, an elder in 
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 
and the father of three children when he enlisted 
in the British Army during World War I. He trained 
with the Grenadier Guards. To his credit it should 
be noted that he kept the Word of Wisdom strictly 
all through his army service. No cup of hot tea 
warmed him in the cold, damp trenches of France. 

In the short communications trench at Canal 
Dunord, where Bert had been stationed to transmit 
messages of enemy activity, a warning voice said 
quietly, "Move." He hesitated. To leave his post 
was a breach of discipline. A second time came the 
warning, "Move." He moved back to the main 
trench. Seconds later a bursting shell destroyed the 
trench where he had stood, and two soldiers from 
the listening post at the opposite end of the trench 
came running back with severe shellshock. 

Bert was the first casualty in his section. While 
passing through an orchard he was hit in the back, 
and a shell penetrated the main nerve in his spine, 
paralyzing both legs. Under heavy machine gun fire, 
he rolled into a trench and prayed to die. He did 
not want to live if he could not walk. Eventually 
he and some others were carried into the basement 
of a farm home where clean straw had been spread 
on the floor. Suddenly an exploding shell set the 
straw on fire. Four men had been laid there. Being 
nearest the door, Bert was pulled out by the stretch- 
er bearers; but two men burned to death. 

Evacuated to a hospital in Manchester, England, 
he received two administrations from the elders; and 
afterward he was told, "You're a lucky man. The 



428 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



bullet has shifted position, and your operation will 
be much simpler." He was well when he left the 
hospital. 

Decisions of Faith 

. . . Blessed is he that keepeth my command- 
ments, whether in life or in death; and he that is 
faithful in tribulation, the reward of the same is 
greater in the kingdom of heaven. (Doctrine and 
Covenants 58:2.) 

Of tribulation this man has had a rich share; 
but in blessings he is richer. The only child of John 
Coombs and Jane Elizabeth Rice, he was of religious 
inclination from his youth and attended many 
churches. A Mormon street meeting where he heard 
of the original apostasy from Christ's teachings first 
attracted him to Mormonism. At 19 years of age, he 
met his future wife, Hannah Yates. They were mar- 
ried in 1908 and baptized November 5, 1910. 

Bert worked at his trade of manufacturing com- 
mercial travelers' hampers (basket work) for many 
years. He had apprenticed five years as a youth to 
become skilled at this work, and he was satisfied to 
stay with it. Heavy religious persecution on the job 
only drove him to deeper study of the doctrines of 
the Church. 

When war was declared, he was offered a job in 
a munitions factory at higher wages but turned it 
down because his employer gave him a substantial 
raise in pay. One night, however, while walking 
home, above the din of heavy traffic he heard a 
voice say, "Quit your job." This was foolish, he 
thought; but the instruction came again, "Quit your 
job." He continued thoughtfully on home, and when 
he walked into the house he said to his wife, "I'm 
going to quit my job." 

"Whatever for?" she exclaimed. "You've just 
been given a raise. Where are you going to work?" 

"I don't know," he replied. A week later, over 
the objections of an irate employer, he quit. A new 
job opportunity, at 25 percent higher wages than 
he had ever earned before, even with his raise, soon 
presented itself. And he took it. Each week he 
banked the extra money. In a few years it became 
his emigration fund. 

Emigration to the Canadian West 

The war was over! In 1921 the spirit of emigra- 
tion prompted the Coombses, now six in number 
(one child had died), to join some former Notting- 
ham converts to the Church who had taken up 
farming in western Canada. They emigrated to the 
small town of Quill Lake, Saskatchewan, to help on 
a farm. This was to be a two-year endurance test, 
a time of great poverty and intense religious perse- 
cution at the hands of apostate Mormons. 

But they settled in an upstairs apartment, and 
Brother Coombs worked for $35.00 a month and his 







Brother and Sister Coombs, 1965 

own room and board. The family who lived below 
them, former converts, made life so unpleasant for 
Sister Coombs and the children that the good wife 
determined to move. She located a deserted home- 
steader's house on the edge of town, and they 
moved in. They had brought bedding from Eng- 
land, but there were no cooking utensils, no furni- 
ture, no stove. They slept on the floor, and they 
cooked in lard buckets over an outside fireplace. 

When Brother Coombs could stand the religious 
persecution of his employers no longer, he quit and 
hired out to do odd jobs — painting, sawing wood, 
etc. When winter drew near, they moved into a 
small house in town, and the Ladies' Aid of the 
United Church provided a small stove from the 
church basement. Bert constructed wooden beds and 
a table, and Hannah Coombs hired out to do house- 
work. This loyal companion was a woman of un- 
usual physical strength, and her devotion and loyal 
support cannot be over emphasized in the survival of 
this very harried family. A sixth child was born to 
them here. Since there was no branch of the Church 
in the area, the family attended United Church 
services where Brother Coombs lent his rich bass 
voice to the choir. 

Their tithing box was their "tabernacle in the 
wilderness." For every dollar earned, no matter how 

(Continued on following page.) 



NOVEMBER 1965 



429 



TO HEAR EACH WHISPER OF THY VOICE (Continued from preceding page.) 



tough the times, a dime went into the box. And at 
the end of the year, their full tithing was sent to 
the nearest headquarters of the Church in Winni- 
peg, Manitoba. But when Bert was ill, and there 
was no food in the house, Hannah was alarmed. 
"We'll have to spend the tithing money, Bert," she 
said. "We can't starve." At that moment, a thump 
on the porch drew the attention of the family; and 
when they went to the door, there was a large hamp- 
er with all the groceries they needed and also wood 
for the stove. They never did know where it came 
from. 

"Come to Zion" 

It must have given them a wonderful sense of 
relief when Brother Coombs was offered a home to 
live in and a steady job clerking in Alder's Store. 
"But," says the faithful Latter-day Saint, "I had a 
feeling something was going to happen." When 
pressed for an answer regarding the job, he said 
"I'll let you know, Mr. Alder." He went home, and 
together he and Hannah knelt in prayer. A steady 
job would have kept them in this non-LDS com- 
munity. After the prayer, Brother Coombs relates 
that he had a strong feeling he should not accept 
the job offered. When he told Mr. Alder, that good 
gentleman replied, "That's why I wanted you. I 
knew that if any emergency arose, you and I could 
pray together." 

Very soon after that, a letter came from Salt 
Lake City. It contained $50.00 and the welcome 
invitation, "Come to Zion!" They were overjoyed. 

But, alas! How disconcerting are the ways of a 
mysterious but all-knowing Providence which has 
said, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neith- 
er are your ways my ways. . . ." (Isaiah 55:8.) At 
Calgary, Alberta, where Brother Coombs went hap- 
pily for a visa, he learned that he could not cross the 
border for three months! Again he must look for 
work. In Raymond, 160 miles to the south, a farm- 
hand was needed for two weeks; and he set off for 
this southern Alberta town which would be his home 
for the next 17 years. The prospective employer was 
Stake President H. S. Allen. 

"Are you a Latter-day Saint?" he asked. 

"Yes," was the answer. 

"Do you have a recommend?" 

"No. But I have a tithing receipt." 

That was his recommend! He went to work on 
the farm, and in the fall was given the job of de- 
livery man for the H. S. Allen store. He was even- 
tually ordained a seventy; and over the years three 
more children were added to their family, making a 
total of nine. 



The Mormon town of Raymond provided a 
wholesome environment in which to rear the family; 
and Brother Coombs served in the Sunday School 
superintendency and sang in choirs, quartets, and 
operatic productions. He performed for 10 years 
with a quartet which won firsts in regional music 
festivals. He was and still is, on occasion, a soloist. 
Even in Brother Coombs' 78th year the music adju- 
dicator recognizes the quality of his voice. 

Coming Events Cast Their Shadows Ahead 

In the winter of 1938, Brother Coombs' son, 
Jack, became interested in farms in the Rosemary 
area (about 100 miles north of Raymond) and 
asked his father to go with him to look at them. 
French people who had originally settled the area 
had left, and farms were available. But the arduous 
nature of the trip in an old truck, through deep 
snow, over deeply rutted roads, plus the discourage- 
ment of the Rosemary bishop who told him that at 
50 he was too old to take up farming there, left him 
completely discouraged about the project. After an 
exhausting trip, Bert reported to his wife, "Farming 
in Rosemary is definitely out of the question!" 

He was wrong. 

In 1939 he fell down the elevator shaft at the 
store in Raymond and woke up in a hospital ten 
days later. He had sustained three skull fractures, 
a brain concussion, a broken shoulder, and other 
injuries. His face was twisted out of shape. There 
was little hope for his survival. However, with the 
help of the priesthood and the advantages of "a 
good heart, good lungs, and good clean blood," to 
use the doctor's terms, he recovered. Years of 
keeping the Word of Wisdom had paid off. 

Later he was taken to the Cardston Temple for 
a blessing, and as he sat in the assembly meeting 
there, President Edward J. Wood, who was speak- 
ing, pointed a finger at him and said, "Brother 
Coombs, the dead are looking to you for their work." 
Since he could not work for a living, owing to his 
injury, he began at that time to organize his genea- 
logical records. 

The family was faced with hard times, and two 
sons, Jack and Francis, were determined to take 
advantage of cheap land in Rosemary. In great 
agony of indecision, Brother Coombs fasted for three 
days and went to the temple for a blessing. He told 
President Wood why he had come, and in his bless- 
ing he was told: "You go to Rosemary. This acci- 
dent has come to you to take you from one line of 
work and put you to another. Your influence for 
good will be felt, and you will live there among your 
children." At that time five children had married 



430 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



and established homes of their own. It seemed un- 
likely that that part of the blessing could be fulfilled. 

On the Move Again! 

How difficult to uproot! He had been offered 
the job of night watchman at the Raymond Sugar 
Factory; his home was paid for; his family was op- 
posed to moving; and he had no equipment for 
farming. He was actively engaged in Church work 
in Raymond, particularly in a male quartet where 
he was much appreciated and needed. His physical 
condition was poor. 

"Whatever is the matter with you, Brother 
Coombs? Why do you not stay here?" a friend 
queried. 

To all these objections the faithful Brother 
Coombs had only one answer: "What am I to do? 
I fasted for three days and asked counsel of the 
Lord. How can I refuse to listen to it?" To him, 
the voice of direction which had protected and 
guided him throughout his life was not to be ignored. 
He hitchhiked to Rosemary. It is decisions like this 
that strengthen the soul and bring forth the "gold 
tried in the fire," for it is not always easy to follow 
the promptings of one's heart when reason and pub- 
lic opinion rise in opposition. 

The story of his getting a job there as school 
janitor, against non-Mormon opposition, is only an- 
other indication that ". . . the Lord giveth no com- 
mandments unto the children of men, save he shall 
prepare a way for them. ..." (1 Nephi 3:7.) 

Also, close to the town of Rosemary was a farm 
that he would have liked to purchase, but the owner 
would not sell. In addition, four local men wanted 
it. When school was out, Brother Coombs returned 
to Raymond for the summer. One Sunday, when he 
returned home from priesthood meeting, he learned 
that his good wife, Hannah, had felt the spirit of 
inspiration. "You've got to go to Rosemary," she 
said. "Things are beginning to move up there." 
Again he hitchhiked his way. 

"You're just the man I wanted to see," the 
bishop at Rosemary greeted him. "The farm is for 
sale." With $1,500 back pay from the store after his 
injury, plus other savings, he made the down pay- 
ment and moved his family to the new community. 
Not well enough to work the farm himself, he hired 
the work done and kept his job at the school. 

The farm prospered. On a piece of land he could 
not irrigate, there grew a volunteer sweet clover 
crop which fed his cattle and provided two seed crops 
that sold for a good price. When the school was en- 
larged, his salary increased. He cleared the land, 
built a barn and granary, put up fence, and im- 



proved his home. He worked in the Church and 
was happy. In fulfillment of his blessing, all his 
married children took up residence in Rosemary; 
and he did, indeed, live there in the midst of his 
family! He never wanted to move again. But destiny 
had other plans. 

The Final Move 

In 1957, at the age of 70, Brother Coombs at- 
tended a stake priesthood meeting in the city of 
Calgary. On the return journey the car in which he 
was traveling collided with a freight truck, and again 
he was hospitalized with severe injuries — a smashed 
hip, broken bones, lacerations. President N. Eldon 
Tanner, then the Calgary Stake President, called a 
special fast day in his behalf. Doctors at first 
thought to replace his hip with a steel joint, but 
later found they could fasten it with steel pins; and 
it has given him no trouble since. But his farming 
days had come to an end. 

At long last he would begin that full-time labor 
of love for his kindred dead. He sold the farm 
and moved to Lethbridge, and was able to retire. 
The past five years Brother Coombs has devoted 
entirely to genealogical research, and through his 
efforts more than 2800 endowments have been com- 
pleted for his progenitors, with accompanying seal- 
ings. He himself visits the temple in Cardston fre- 
quently. His kindred dead have not looked to him 
in vain. 

Bertram and Hannah Coombs have 9 children 
(6 living), 42 grandchildren, and 15 great-grand- 
children. One son and 3 grandsons have filled mis- 
sions. A fourth grandson is now in the French Mis- 
sion. 

Retired? In addition to genealogical research, he 
is now group leader of his ward high priests and 
sings in choirs and quartets. In all of his activities 
he continues to evidence, with Samuel: 

By day and night, a heart that still 
Moves at the breathing of thy will!"* 



""Hushed Was the Evening Hymn," Hymns, No. 252. 

*A man with a beautiful bass voice approached his choir 
leader in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, one day and said, "I used 
to know some Shephards in the Old Country. I don't suppose you're 
any relation?" The man was Brother Coombs and the choir leader 
was Sister Burl Shephard, author of this article, whose parents 
joined the Church in Nottingham, England, shortly before the 
Coombses were baptized. The two families became good friends, 
because persecution drew them together. It has been the author's 
privilege also to become a close friend and to have the great joy 
of telling, in part, the life story of Brother Coombs. 

Sister Shephard completed her public and high school education 
in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, and graduated from Garbutt Busi- 
ness College, Calgary, Alberta. She later earned her B. S. degree 
at Utah State University. She filled a mission in Great Britain 
and has been a temple officiator in the Alberta Temple. She served 
on the editorial staff of The Improvement Era for three years and 
as production editor of The Instructor for two years, before becom- 
ing acting managing editor. 
Library File Reference: Divine Guidance. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



431 



HOW JAMES E. TALMAGE CAME TO WRITE . . . 

THE ARTICLES OF FAITH 

by John R. Talmage* 



The Deseret Evening News of March 10, 1899, 
carried the following notice at the head of its edi- 
torial column: 

Official Announcement 
During the early part of April there will be is- 
sued by the Deseret News a Church work entitled, 
The Articles of Faith," the same being a series of 
lectures on the principal doctrines of the Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, by Dr. James E. 
Talmage. The lectures were prepared by appoint- 
ment of The First Presidency, and the book will be 
published by the Church. It is intended for use as 
a text book in the Church schools, Sunday schools, 
[Mutual] Improvement Associations, quorums of 
the Priesthood, and other Church organizations in 
which the study of Theology is pursued, and also 
for individual use among members of the Church. 
The work has been approved by The First Presi- 
dency, and I heartily commend it to the members 
of the Church. 

[President] Lorenzo Snow 

This was the first public announcement of the 
publication of a book which has been in more or less 
constant use in various Church theological classes 
and in the hands of individual 
Church members ever since; 
and which in January, 1966, 
will mark the approach of its 
67th birthday as the official 
textbook for Course 28 in Sun- 
day School. However, the 
above-quoted announcement 
by President Lorenzo Snow 
was not the first indication of 
such a book, and many who 
read the Deseret News of 
March 10, 1899, had been look- 
ing forward for some time to 
the appearance in book form 
of material, a large part of 
which they had heard as lec- 
tures and read in serial form 
in The Juvenile Instructor 
some half dozen years earlier. 
The seed of the idea which 
eventually grew into the book 
that has now gone through 42 




ELDER JAMES E. TALMAGE (1862-1933) 



(For Course 28, lessons of January 9 and 16, "The Articles of 
Faith"; and of general interest.) 

*The author is the son of Dr. James E. Talmage, and lived in 
Europe while his father was President of the European Missions. 
Later, 1930-1933, John served as a missionary in France, sandwiched 



editions (including 243,000 copies) in English, has 
been translated into a number of foreign languages, 
and is still in use as a textbook two-thirds of a cen- 
tury later, more than 30 years after its author's 
death, apparently was first planted on Sept. 14, 1891. 
Dr. Talmage, the 29-year-old president of the re- 
cently established Latter-day Saints University, met 
that day with President Wilford Woodruff and his 
counselors and thereafter noted in his journal: 

It is the intention of the brethren to cause to be 
published a class work on Theology, for use in 
Church schools and Religion Classes generally. The 
need of such a work has long been felt among the 
teachers of the Latter-day Saints. . . . Several pre- 
liminaries have to be arranged before the work is 
begun; but The First Presidency have expressed to 
me their intention of appointing me to do the labor. 
I find myself very busy already, but I have never 
yet found it necessary to decline any labor appointed 
to me by the Holy Priesthood; and in the perform- 
ance of duties so entailed, as my day, so has my 
strength ever been. 

Various delays intervened, and it was the last 

day of January, 1893, before 
The First Presidency directed 
Dr. Talmage to proceed with 
the work under discussion. The 
oral charge was confirmed by 
a letter dated Feb. 20, 1893, 
signed by President Woodruff 
and President Joseph F. Smith, 
President George Q. Cannon 
being out of the city at the 
time. The letter reiterated the 
need for "properly analyzed 
text and reference books in the 
theological and religious sub- 
jects, for use in our Church 
schools, Sunday schools, etc." 
and went on to give a specific 
charge: 

"It is our desire that a book 
suitable for the purposes 
named should be placed in the 
hands of our people as soon as 
possible. Knowing your ex- 

between years as a student at the University of Utah. He also at- 
tended LDS Junior College and BYU. He married Virginia Noehren, 
and they have five children. John R. Talmage worked on the 
Deseret News many years, as assistant to Utah Governor George D. 
Clyde for eight years, and has been with the Utah Power and Light 
Company since January, 1965. 



432 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



perience in this direction, we should be pleased to 
have you prepare such a work." 

In October of the same year, the General Author- 
ities of the Church decided to act on Dr. Talmage's 
suggestion to establish a special theological class 
in connection with the Church university. The class 
would meet each Sunday with Dr. Talmage as its 
instructor, and the course of study would be the 
material to be incorporated in the textbook previous- 
ly discussed. In his journal entry for Sunday, Oct. 
29, 1893, Dr. Talmage noted: 

This is the appointed day for the organization 
of the Theological Class in connection with the 
Church University. At 12:15 p.m., the time set, 
the large lecture room in the University Building 
was filled to overflowing, every seat being occupied. 
Chairs were brought in from the College adjoining 
and every corner taken possession of, while the 
aisles were filled and the stand crowded, many sit- 
ting on the edge of the platform. I had not even 
dreamed of such a class. As it was first suggested to 
my mind, I saw a small body of students, with per- 
haps a few outsiders; but the Presidency of the 
Church directed that the scope of the class be en- 
larged. Had not the course which has made so large 
a class possible originated with the authorities of 
the Priesthood, I should mistrust the outlook. 
Things great, substantial, and lasting usually have 
very small beginnings. Our class has a very large 
inception. . . . So many applicants had to be denied 
admission that it was decided on the recommenda- 
tion of Pres. Angus M. Cannon to adjourn the class 
at its close to meet next Sunday in the Stake As- 
sembly Hall [This is the Assembly Hall on Temple 
Square; it was then known as the Assembly Hall 
of Salt Lake Stake, which in 1893 was still undivided 
and covered all of Salt Lake Valley.] 

If the class teacher was disturbed by the large 
turnout at that first session, subsequent classes in 
the Assembly Hall must have done nothing to re- 
assure him. The first session in the larger quarters 
brought an attendance of between 500 and 600, and 
the figure rose to "not less than 900" the following 
Sunday. From there it continued to move upward, 
past the 1,000 mark, thence to 1,100, 1,200, and by 
April, 1894, was pushing close to the 1,300 figure. 

Meanwhile, two other significant developments 
had occurred. In November, 1893, The First Presi- 
dency directed that the lecture material be published 
in full in serial form in the Juvenile Instructor. In 
view of the fact that the material was to be made 
of permanent record as it was delivered, the author 
requested that The First Presidency appoint a 
"Committee on Criticism" to pass on the material 
before publication. Such a committee was appoint- 
ed and comprised Elders Francis M. Lyman (chair- 
man) and Abraham H. Cannon of the Council of the 
Twelve; President George Reynolds of the First 
Council of Seventy; Elder John Nicholson, and Dr. 
Karl G. Maeser. The committee worked closely 



with the author, and on occasion referred questions 
of doctrine to still higher authority, frequently going 
to The First Presidency. Once, Dr. Talmage was 
called from the Salt Lake Temple, where he had 
gone with his wife to do ordinance work, for a meet- 
ing with the Committee and The First Presidency 
to discuss certain specific doctrinal points, the dis- 
cussion lasting several hours. He records that he 
was informed that the doctrinal questions were fur- 
ther discussed later in the day in a meeting of The 
First Presidency and Council of the Twelve, and 
that "I was told by one of the Apostles on the Com- 
mittee that I was authorized to proclaim this as 
doctrine in the Theology Class." 

In view of the extensive and still growing interest 
in the unusual Sunday theology class, developments 
of April 1, 1894, came as a stunning surprise to class 
members. Dr. Talmage left the following record in 
his journal: 

April 1, 1894: — At this the twenty-second session 
of the Theology Class the attendance was as large, 
if not indeed larger, than that of any previous ses- 
sion. Today marked the last meeting of the class, 
its discontinuation having been decided upon yes- 
terday or the day before by The First Presidency. 
. . . At the session today I disposed of as many of the 
incidental questions as possible, then finished the 
lecture on the Gathering (as per leaflet 17); then 
announced discontinuance of the class. A letter 
from The First Presidency addressed to myself, 
advising the discontinuance and citing the reasons 
therefor, was read by Apostle Abraham H. Cannon, 
one of the Committee. . . . I feel much regret at see- 
ing the class come to a close. . . . For the meed of 
success that has come to the class, I reverentially 
acknowledge the Hand of God. May the seed so 
planted yet produce healthful growth and pleasing 
fruit. 

Chief reason for the discontinuance was that Dr. 
Talmage was being considered for the presidency 
of the University of Utah. "It is plain that in the 
event of my accepting any prominent position in the 
State University, it would be manifestly inconsist- 
ent for me to occupy so distinguished a place among 
the Theology teachers of our people, the University 
being a strictly non-sectarian institution," he wrote. 

Some ten days later, the University of Utah 
Board of Regents did unanimously elect Dr. Tal- 
mage president of that institution. Acting with the 
blessing of The First Presidency, he resigned from 
the Church school system to accept that position 
and also the chair of geology at the University. For 
the time being, preparation of the book, The 
Articles of Faith, was shelved. 

Some few years later, however, he resigned from 

the university presidency, though retaining the chair 

of geology, he being far more interested in classroom 

teaching than in administrative duties; and the par- 

(Concluded on page 438.) 



NOVEMBER 1965 



433 



IN the twelfth verse of the first chapter of Genesis 
the Lord says: "The earth brought forth grass, 
and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree 
yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: 
and God saw that it was good." (Genesis 1:12.) 
Thus is initiated in ancient scripture a statement 
relating to the basic phenomenon of inheritance. 
Statements such as this occur again and again 
throughout all of scripture. We think of Jacob's 
experiment with the breeding of his father-in-law's 
livestock (Genesis 30:30-43), the many statements 
relating to the "blood of Israel" or the lineages of 
the various tribes, the inheritance of the curses 
given to Cain and to the La- 
manites, the allegory of the 
orchard (Jacob 5), or the 
promises that all nations of 
the world would be blessed 
"through the seed of Abra- 
ham." Obviously the basic con- 
cepts of inheritance — that like 
begets like, but often with in- 
teresting modification — are a 
part of human experience. 
How often our friends tell my 
wife and me how much our 
five children look alike — and 
even how much they resemble 
their father! 

There is no space here to 
discuss the scientific aspects of 
genetics. Suffice it to say that 
the breakthrough in under- 
standing came with Gregor 
Mendel's experiments with 
peas, published in 1865 but 
not appreciated until 1900. 
Mendel discovered that fea- 
tures of living organisms, such 
as smoothness or roughness of 
his pea seeds, color of the flow- 
ers, height of the plants, etc., were passed from gen- 
eration to generation under the control of specific 
entities later called genes. Two genes in each cell, 
one from each parent, influence the factor. One of 
these may "dominate" the other, and the two sep- 
arate from each other and from other kinds of 
genes when the sex cells are formed, recombining at 
fertilization to produce the genetic make-up which 
will determine the features of the offspring. (See 
Figure 1.) Thus the characteristics of the parents 
are transmitted to the children. 

The genes were located on the chromosomes, 
bodies which appear during cell division, and des- 




cription of the activities of the chromosomes during 
cell division and fertilization explains how the genes 
separate and recombine. (See Figure 2.) From these 
studies we have learned much, such as how sex is 
determined by an "X" (present in males and fe- 
males) and by a "Y" (present only in males) chro- 
mosome (see Figure 3), how there may be many 
kinds of genes for a single feature, and how the en- 
vironment is of paramount importance in the ex- 
pression of a gene. 

The gene has been identified in very recent 
years as a molecule of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), 
and the structure of this molecule has been deter- 
mined. The structure tells us 
how genes can have individual 
properties (four kinds of "nu- 
cleotides" are arranged in 
chains of a thousand or more, 
their arrangement determining 
their function), and how the 
molecule can reproduce itself 
(it is a double helix with 
"complimentary bonding"). We 
know how the DNA molecule 
acts by controlling the order 
of arrangement of building 
blocks (amino acids) in a spe- 
cific protein molecule, bestow- 
ing upon the protein (an en- 
zyme) the ability to control a 
given chemical reaction. We 
even know how a group of 
three nucleotides in the DNA 
molecule can control the posi- 
tion of a particular amino acid 
in a protein molecule. That is, 
we have deciphered the gene- 
tic code! 

At present we fail to under- 
stand why a gene will act at a 
certain time and a certain 
place. Genes for eye color act only in the eyes, 
although they are present in all cells. This is a 
promising and exciting field for future research. 

There are a few ideas gained from scripture 
which must be modified somewhat in the light of 
our modern understanding of genetics. These are 
not very fundamental, however, and most of us will 
not really mind seeing them go. In many instances 
our new knowledge of genetics tends to strongly 
support certain concepts gained by revelation. Let 
us consider a few examples. 



(For the general use of Courses 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, and 26; and 
of general interest.) 



*Frank B. Salisbury, a returned missionary and noted biologist, 
has written many scientific papers. This year he has published a 
book, Truth by Reason and by Revelation, which discusses scientific 
advances in the light of the Gospel. Dr. Salisbury was born in 
Provo, Utah, and grew up in Salt Lake City. He served from 1946 
to 1949 in the Swiss-Austrian Mission. He is a professor of Plant 
Physiology at Colorado State University and is a counselor in the 
Fort Collins Second Ward bishopric. 



434 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



1. Some concepts relating to race. 

In our liberal times it is anything but popular to 
discuss the topic of covenant and cursed races. Yet 
the scriptures are full of commentary on these sub- 
jects. At least we will have to admit that the idea 
is good genetics. 

The Gospel teaches that God was, before the 
creation of the temporal earth, Father of a great 
many spirits of all degrees of intelligence and val- 
iance; spirits having an almost infinite variety of 
capabilities. (Abraham 3:18-19, 22-24.) The laws of 
inheritance provide a mechanism for producing great 
variety (mutations and the recombinations of exist- 
ing genes) and at the same time for passing certain 
general groups of physical and mental proper- 
ties from one generation to another. If spirits of 
similar but varying capabilities were to be united 

MENDEL'S EXPERIMENT MENDEL'S EXPLANATION 



Many Generations »*^ ( 
{ All Smooth All Rough J 



. Pairs of Genes in 
each individual 




GD 



s- ' - jr *. Possible Kinds of Sex Cells , 

dD-v 



253 Plants 



All Smooth 



Self Fertilized 

/J kN 



■ 5474 Smooth 1850 Rough 

(2.95) (1.00) 

Self Fertilized Again 





Sperms Eggs Seeds 

s + s-ss 

S + s — Ss 
s + S-Ss 

s + s-*ss 




abilities, and dexterity in working brass and iron 
might be genetically controlled. But much would 
be learned and not inherited, and the curse pertain- 
ing to the priesthood was a decree of God and not 
a genetic phenomenon. 

Having faith in the wisdom and justice of God, 
we can only assume that these various inherited 
capabilities were provided for the good of the peo- 
ple involved. Apparently the spirits which were to 
occupy the bodies of either the Canaanites or the 
sons of the Patriarchs could best progress by occupy- 
ing those bodies and none others. At any rate we 
might imagine that God would provide (by the 
proper directed mutations?) suitable bodies for the 
pre-existent spirits of mankind. Fortunately, it is 
not for us to judge as to which spirits are superior 
and which are inferior. We know, and the laws of 



MITOSIS 

(NORMAL CELL DIVISION) 



Normal ce 



MEIOSIS 

(SEX CELL FORMATION) 



Chromosomes 
line up at the 
cell equator and 
start to split. 

Chromosomes 
split and 
move apart. 



Cell begins to 
divide, nucleus 
begins to reform. 

Two cells, two 
(invisible) 
chromosomes 
each. 




One pair of chromosomes 
(just becoming visible). 



Chromosome 
pair beginning 
to separate. 



Chromosomes 
move apart. 



Chromosomes 
split. 



teaaa i&i^ai one chromosome 
PPS each. 



Figure 1. Part of Mendel's experiment in breeding peas, 
along with his proposed theory to account for the results. 
This theory was based upon two ideas: Characters such as 
smoothness or roughness are controlled by individual en- 
tities (now called genes) which can separate from each 
other during the reproductive process (at least one entity 
relating to a given factor comes from each parent); and 
that one of these entities might "dominate" or repress the 
other (smoothness is dominant over roughness, so that the 
combination Ss appears the same as the combination SS). 
Box at the bottom shows how sex cells from the Ss genera- 
tion might combine, giving 3 smooth offspring for every 
rough. In his experiment Mendel actually observed 2.95 
smooth for each rough — very close to the ratio predicted 
by his theory! 

through an eternal family relationship, the laws of 
inheritance would surely provide a reasonable way 
of carrying this out. 

We are told, for example, of the special abilities 
given to the descendants of Cain. They were blessed 
with certain blessings of the earth and with bless- 
ings of wisdom. (Moses 5:36-37, 45-46; Abraham 
1:26.) Yet they were cursed as pertaining to the 
priesthood and in other ways. Some of these bless- 
ings, such as their wisdom (intelligence), musical 



Figure 2. Mitosis and meiosis compared. Mitosis is the 
way cells normally divide, and the number of chromosomes 
at the end of division is the same as the number at the 
beginning (for simplicity, only one pair of chromosomes is 
shown). The product of meiosis is the sex cells, and they 
contain only half as many chromosomes as the cell that 
produced them. At fertilization, a male and a female sex 
cell will combine to give the full compliment of chromosomes. 

genetics demonstrate the fact to use with irrefutable 
clarity, that men are not all born equal in physical 
characteristics, mental abilities, or environmental 
opportunities. Yet we do not know how a given 
spirit might react and progress through eternity in 
response to all of these factors. 

All of this brings up another problem of scripture 
which is clearly a genetic one. We are told that the 
children of Israel would be scattered throughout 
the races of mankind and ultimately gathered again 
in the last days. Indeed, in our patriarchal blessings 
we are informed as to the lineage from which we 
spring. This is a complex genetic problem, since 
the children of Israel were scattered so widely, 
(Continued on following page.) 



NOVEMBER 19 65 



435 



GENETICS AND SOME GOSPEL CONCEPTS (Continued from preceding page.) 



intermingling their seed (genes) with those of the 
rest of mankind. What is meant by lineage in this 
sense? In our modern language, the term lineage 
implies descent through the male line. In this us- 
age, if one is of the lineage of Ephraim, he or she 
must be a son or a daughter of male offspring in a 
continuous line back to Ephraim, the son of Joseph. 
In such a case, all of the children of a single father 
must be of the same lineage. Yet we can find ex- 
amples among our people of children of the same 
father who have been told in their patriarchal bless- 
ings that they are of different lineages. 

From this we can imply that this lineage is more 
a matter of genetic constitution than paternal de- 
scent. We are dealing apparently with combinations 
of genes segregated and recombined through many 
generations from the time of Ephraim and the other 
children of Israel. According to Mendel's laws one 



FEMALE 



MALE 



The sex 

chromosome 

pairs. 

Kinds of 
eggs (all 
alike). 



Possible 

combinations 




THE SEX 
DETERMINING 
CHROMOSOMES 
IN MAN: 



I 
X Y 

These unlike chromo- 
somes make a pair; 
the other 22 pairs 
each have matching 
chromosomes. 



Figure 3. The mechanism of sex determinism in man and 
many other (but not all) animals and plants. 

child of a given father might have more genes de- 
rived from one of his father's ancestors, and another 
child might have more genes derived from another 
of his father's ancestors. His mother's ancestors 
also contribute. The portion of the total must de- 
termine "lineage," and all must be recorded in heav- 
en to be made known through the patriarch! 

2. "Iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the 
third and fourth generation." 

This idea which appears in the scriptures (Exo- 
dus 20:5 in the second commandment; see also 
Numbers 14:18; / Kings 21:29; Jeremiah 32:18; 
Mosiah 13:13) is not good genetics. If we are to 
understand it in a genetic sense, it implies that 
characters acquired by the parents are passed on 
to the offspring. This is a thoroughly discredited 
idea. If a man develops a certain strength by exer- 
cise, his children will still have to exercise to de- 
velop the same strength (because of their father's 



experience they may be in a better position to learn 
how, but they will gain none of his achievements 
through their genetic material). 

Yet the idea of a curse (some difficult problem 
in living, or perhaps some false doctrine which in- 
hibits progress) being passed from one generation 
to the next is surely a part of our human experience. 
Parents who live unrighteously will, as a direct re- 
sult, reap the bad fruits of their unrighteous living, 
and their children will partake of their curse by be- 
ing brought up under resulting conditions. Their 
opportunities for progress will be greatly limited 
"because of the traditions of their fathers." (Doc- 
trine and Covenants 93:39.) 

It is good to realize that we are not speaking 
of heredity or genetics when we speak about the 
curse of the fathers being visited upon the heads of 
the children, but it is even better to realize that 
we have an extremely grave responsibility to our 
children, and that we must provide them with con- 
ditions conducive to their eternal progression 
through acquisition of truth and application of Gos- 
pel principles. 

3. Abrupt changes in human genetics. 

Study of the ancient genealogies indicates that 
the age of the patriarchs became drastically reduced 
after the time of Noah. This is good genetics. If a 
mutation were to take place which would result in 
shorter life, it could most easily have its effect upon 
mankind if it were to occur in one man (i.e. Noah) 
who was to become the father of all peoples. 

Although there are complications, we learn that 
nearly all of the American Indians (the Lamanites) 
are lacking in one of the blood groups (type B). 1 
This again is good genetics if they all descended 
from just a few families as the Book of Mormon 
story recounts. We would expect, in a random 
sampling of the population, to find families or even 
small groups of families who were lacking in one 
blood group or the other. As the population gets 
larger, however, chances that all blood groups will 
be present also gets larger. 

4. The "blood" as the line of inheritance. 

Ancient scriptures often speak of "the blood of 
Israel" or use other expressions implying that in- 
heritance passes from one generation to the next 
through the blood. This is an idea which our modem 
concepts of genetics must modify. We would say 
now that the line of inheritance passes from one 
generation to the next via the genes or molecules of 
DNA. The blood grows with the developing em- 
bryo in response to the genes. It is not passed 



iCurt Stern, Principles of Human Genetics; W. H. Freeman and 
Company, San Francisco and London, 1960; see pages 682-90. 



436 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



directly from father or mother to offspring. Actually 
the red cells of the blood contain no nucleus and 
presumably no organized genetic material, while vir- 
tually all other cells of the body do have full com- 
plements of the genes. 

Yet we can hardly censure the ancient prophets 
for speaking of the blood as the vehicle of inheri- 
tance. What sense would it have made to the ancient 
Jews if their prophets had spoken of the deoxyribo- 
nucleic acid of Israel? That the blood is an impor- 
tant part of life was a common part of ancient man's 
knowledge. So what better wording might have 
been used? 

5. Mortal appearance and p re-existence. 

Modern biology tells us that chance is involved 
at two points in the reproductive process. When 
the chromosomes separate from each other in meio- 
sis they may separate in any order or fashion, and 
crossing over between chromosome pairs increases 
the segregation of genes at this time. When the 
egg and the sperm unite, any one of several billion 
sperm may be the one to enter the egg, and any 
egg of several hundred produced in the ovaries may 
be the one fertilized. Indeed, all of the beautiful 
laws of genetics were worked out on the basis that 
these two processes were governed by chance. Of 
course, the offspring can differ from the parents 
only within the limits set by the genes which are 
available. Yet these are broad limits, and there can 
be a great variety of offspring produced by a given 
set of parents. 

So how could our physical appearance in mor- 
tality be the same as our bodily appearance in the 
pre-existence? If we looked the same then as now, 
I see only two possible explanations: either there 
was much predestination or supernatural interven- 
tion involved at meiosis and again at fertilization, or 
else the appearance of the physical body was due to 
chance, but there were so many different kinds of 
spirits that one could be found to match it. Neither 
of these explanations is at all satisfying. The whole 
concept of predestination goes against the basic 
tenets of the Gospel. Furthermore, we can imagine 
that if appearance alone governed assignment of 
spirits to bodies, many injustices would be done. 
Surely factors such as family relationships, time 
during history, personality, and presence or absence 
of truth in the family, would be much more impor- 
tant in assignment of a spirit than mere appearance. 

From this it only seems reasonable to conclude 
that our specific appearance here is determined by 
the chance processes of meiosis and fertilization, 
within the limits of the available genetic material, 
the environmental influences which govern our de- 
velopment, and the free-will choices which we make. 
Perhaps one of the principal purposes of earthlife 



is to obtain a certain part of the physical appear- 
ance which we will have throughout all time. Per- 
haps we looked far less "specific" in the pre-exist- 
ence, with less character in our faces. Did we all 
look more alike than we do now? 

The appearance gained in mortality is not the 
whole story either. "It is sown in corruption; it is 
raised in incorruption." (J Corinthians 15:42.) We 
are, according to our merits, to be perfected. It is 
interesting that Christ was not immediately recog- 
nized after His resurrection. On at least four occa- 
sions (John 20:14, 21:4; Luke 24:16, 37) His close 
friends and disciples failed to recognize Him imme- 
diately, although they subsequently did know Him. 
He apparently retained much of His physical appear- 
ance, but He may have been changed (perfected) so 
that He was not readily recognizable. Of course, we 
change throughout our entire lives. Which appear- 
ance should we have in the resurrection? 

6. The nature of the resurrection. 

Only very recently, since the development of 
understanding relating to the genetic code and all 
that it implies, have we been able to think of the 
resurrection in terms other than the blindest ac- 
ceptance by sheer faith alone of something which 
was completely beyond our understanding. Surely the 
resurrection is still largely beyond our understand- 
ing, but molecular biology may provide some insight 
into this transcendant event. 

We can see how the formula for a man could be 
written in a book! The information contained in 
the order of arrangement of nucleotides in the DNA 
chains determines all of the inherited properties and 
potentials of the person possessing these genes. This 
is the kind of information that could readily be 
stored in a computer — or in heaven. We can visual- 
ize then (although we cannot even begin to accom- 
plish it) how a man might be utterly vaporized in 
an atomic explosion, so that no trace of his body 
remained intact (his spirit is indestructible) and 
still be resurrected or reconstructed according to 
his genetic information. To this would be added 
the changes in his body brought about by his envi- 
ronment and his free-choice decisions. Presumably 
these effects could also be recorded. Imperfections 
in both the genetic material and the environmental 
effects could also conceivably be corrected. 

7. The creation of Eve. 

The story of the creation of Eve from one of 

Adam's ribs has long been considered fanciful and 

symbolic. 2 Yet it proves now to fit well into the 

current theory of molecular biology. 3 A research 

(Concluded on page 438.) 

a B. H. Roberts, The Gospel and Man's Relationship to Deity; 
Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1965 (reprint). 

3 Frank B. Salisbury. Truth by Reason and by Revelation; Deseret 
Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1965. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



437 



GENETICS AND SOME GOSPEL CONCEPTS (Concluded from page 437.) 



group at Cornell University has been able to remove 
a small piece of tissue from a carrot, culture its cells, 
and cause individual cells to grow into a mature 
carrot plant. In the creation of Eve, it would be 
necessary not only to cause a mature individual to 
grow from the cells of Adam's rib, but also to cause 
the chromosomes of these cells to undergo a reduc- 
tion division (meiosis) so that the "X" chromosome 
is separated from the "Y." Chromosomes of cells 
containing only the "X" chromosome could then 
be doubled, and they would thus become female. 

I have no idea whether or not the Lord used 
such a procedure to create Eve, but taking the 
scriptural account to be quite literal does prove to 
be good biology. 

8. Genetics and the family unit. 

A basic doctrine of the restored Gospel is that 
the family unit is eternal, and that progress both 
in mortality and in the kingdom of heaven depends 
upon it. 

We see certain developments in modern genetics 
which seem to strike at the heart of the family or- 
ganization. Examples are eugenics (controlled hu- 
man breeding), artificial insemination, and virgin 
birth (or even test-tube birth). If space would per- 



mit, these and related topics could be discussed at 
length. Because of their negative implications for 
the family, we should be extremely wary of them, 
yet in some instances they might be of great value, 
and so we should also be wary of blanket judgments. 
On the positive side of the ledger, the science of 
genetics has contributed a great deal which might 
aid in the turning of the hearts of the fathers to 
the children and of the children to the fathers. We 
realize that a part of us, the DNA, is identical to a 
part of our parents. This identity is strongly em- 
phasized by knowledge relating to information con- 
tent of the genes and to the genetic code. We are 
absolute individuals genetically (except for identical 
twins who have identical genes), but we are a mix- 
ture of the genes of our ancestors. 

It would seem that this knowledge could help 
in the great program of genealogy being emphasized 
by the Church. It is important to understand the 
biological relationships in a family line. It is cer- 
tainly much more important, however, to realize the 
extent of the spiritual relationship which can develop 
in a family in response to application in that family 
of the principles of love as taught by Jesus Christ. 



Library File Reference: Religion and Science. 



THE ARTICLES OF FAITH (Concluded from page 433.) 

ticular problems which had led to his being offered 
the presidency had been largely solved. He thus was 
no longer bound by the peculiar restrictions that had 
developed in 1894, and in 1898 at the request once 
more of The First Presidency the preparation of the 
book was resumed and pushed to completion with 
all reasonable speed. 

The printing job was given to the Deseret News 
Press, and new type was ordered from the East es- 
pecially for it. The old "Committee on Criticism" 
was revived, with all of the original membership 
save Elder Abraham H. Cannon, who had passed 
away and who was replaced on the committee by 
Elder Anthon H. Lund of the Council of the Twelve. 
Final reading of the manuscript to the committee 
was completed on Jan. 5, 1899, although there were 
some further discussions directly with The First 
Presidency. The author was considerably surprised 
by the suggestion of the Presidency that the book 
be published by the Church, and wrote in his jour- 
nal that while he greatly appreciated the honor, "I 



hardly felt to urge the matter, for I don't think the 
Church is rightly to be made responsible for the slips 
and errors which will inevitably appear in the book." 

The first "form" [16-page] proof was placed in 
the author's hands on Feb. 25, 1899, and a promise 
of "a form a day" (Sundays always excepted) was 
fulfilled, so that the final proof was read on April 1, 
and the objective was met of having the book avail- 
able for April Conference visitors. 

In 1923 a major revision (relating mostly to 
style, although including some changes in text) was 
undertaken, and on March 14, 1924 — just a quarter 
century after the original notice of publication — the 
Deseret News again carried an official announcement 
by The First Presidency of the impending publica- 
tion of the book The Articles of Faith, this time in 
the 12th (revised) edition. This edition sold out 
so rapidly that the appearance of the 13th edition 
was announced in a Deseret News editorial just a 
few weeks later, on April 25, 1924. 



Library File Reference: Articles of Faith. 



438 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



DOES THE LORD 

EXPECT RESEARCH 

WORK OF ME? 



by Veda P. Mortimer* 

"Does the Lord expect me to do research work? 
All the easy work has already been done. Aunt 
Minnie (or Uncle John) has done temple work for 
years." 

"I have the desire — really. I just don't have 
the time — yet. When I retire — maybe I will have 
time then." But will we? 

"It will be such a sacrifice for me. Genealogical 
research takes so much time and can be so expen- 



sive 



}> 



"The Lord doesn't expect people to make sacri- 
fices," many will say. History shows, however, that 
many great sacrifices have been made, even the life 
of our Saviour — for us. 

Someday — no one knows how close that time may 
be nor how distant — there is to be a judgment day. 
How many of our ancestors and relatives will meet 
us with smiles on their faces, thanks on their lips, 
and gratitude in their hearts for the research we 
have done in their behalf? What a thrill to be greet- 
ed by a vast, appreciative assemblage! There will 
be loved ones whose names we know well, but whom 
we will be meeting for the first time since our pre- 
mortal existence. We have searched and found their 
names and pertinent facts from various sources. 

But, oh — what a different greeting if we have 
failed them! Will there be fingers of accusation 
pointing? "Why didn't you search for us?" "We 
were supposed to be yours, and you, ours. To whom 
will we now belong?" "What will become of us? 
We depended on you." "We had hoped you would 
think enough of us to be willing to do for us what 
we could not do for ourselves." "Why wouldn't you 
listen? We prayed so hard for your heart to be 
touched." 

Now is the time to choose which of these scenes 
will greet us when we reach the great beyond. Will 
the "day of the Lord" be a "great day" for us? Or 
will it be a "dreadful day"? 

The spirits of the dead still live, think, speak. 
They need our cooperation. Only the physical body 



(For Course 20, lessons of January 2-16, "Introduction to the 
Course"; "Vicarious Work for the Dead" and "Purposes to be 
Served Govern Genealogical Research"; and of general interest.) 

* Sister Veda Jane Porter Mortimer currently teaches a Sunday 
School class in Upper Montclair, New Jersey. She has served in the 
ward Primary, and in ward and stake Sunday School and MIA. 
She is married to George H. Mortimer, and their four children have 
all married in the temple and are active in the Church. She received 
the Noble Home Economics Award and her B.S. degree at Brigham 
Young University in 1929, and is active in civic organizations. 



is dead. One day it will be quickened and reunited 
with the still-living, still-thinking, still-learning spir- 
it body. The spirit still lives. 

A strengthening and very sacred experience 
brought home to me the reality of this great truth 
one day in the Salt Lake Temple. May I share it 
with you? I had gone, of course, to do vicarious 
work for the dead. As I took my seat in the first 
room before the service began, I wondered, silently: 

"Will this person whose work I am doing today 
know me when I die?" 

There was an audible answer: 

"Of course, I will." 

I looked around to see who had spoken. No one 
was sitting near enough. No mortal, living person 
could possibly have said it. It was said audibly, un- 
expectedly, by her spirit to my spirit. I thrilled as 
the realization came! 

Many women entered the meeting room and sat 
in various places. Many seats were vacant near me, 
but one young woman whom I had never seen be- 
fore came directly to me and sat beside me. I'll 
call her Sister Strange. As soon as she was seated, 
I had a strong desire to see the name on her tag. 
I reached over and looked at it. 

"Why, you're my sister!" I said involuntarily. 
The surname of the person whom she represented 
that day was the same as the one I represented. I 
have never had a sister, but that day I knew the 
joy of having one. We felt so close and loved each 
other so much, it was a glorious day. I know the 
spirits of those two sisters were with us all through 
the session. They were so grateful. 

Later, in the ladies' room, Sister Strange was 
combing her hair as I went in to do mine. I tried to 
feel close to her as I had all through the session, 
but we were strangers again. The spirits of those 
two dear sisters had left us, and we did not have the 
benefit of their mutual love. 

Brothers and sisters, if we open our hearts and 
let in the spirit of Elijah, we will find that we can 
rearrange our time; we will be able to get that im- 
portant research started. Changes in use of time 
have to be purposefully planned, but it is well worth 
the effort. Elijah has come and has turned the 
hearts of many children to their fathers. (Malachi 
4: 5, 6; Doctrine and Covenants 2:2; 27:9.) 

"Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are 
committed into your hands. . . ." (Doctrine and 
Covenants 110:16.) If we do our research and send 
in the family group sheets, we will look forward to 
meeting those whom we have come to know and love 
through our efforts in their behalf. No other activi- 
ty can give the same peace and joy. 



Library File Reference: Genealogy. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



439 




Eleventh in a Series to Support the 
Family Home Evening Program 



ALL THESE 
THINGS 



by Reed H. Bradford 

I come to this place often. From here I look 
across the canyon with its carpet of colors. If I had 
to choose one season of the year when I prefer to 
be here, it would be the fall. The colors all seem to 
blend into one another, like a rainbow. To me, this 
is a symbol of how a family should be. Each person 
is a distinct individual and should have the freedom 
to develop himself. And yet there should be a one- 
ness about family relationships. Each contributes 
something to the other. When we see them all to- 
gether, wo do see a number of individuals; but we 
also see one family. 



"There is another reason why I love the fall. 
It's a symbol of the harvest. There is something 
very satisfying about bringing in the crops after a 
spring and summer of planning and toil. I have 
always felt that we should find rich enjoyment in 
the 'golden years' of life for the same reason. 

"It has now been over forty years since I 
first came here, just a week before my marriage. 
Ray said that he had included coming here as a 
regular part of his life. He had found it useful to 
practice what he called 'the art of contemplation.' 
He liked to think about his life — its meaning, the 
goals he had set for himself, his failures, his suc- 
cesses, his relationships to others, and especially his 
relationship to his Heavenly Father. He learned to 
come real close to God at such times. 

"On that first day, as we walked along the trail 
leading to the top of the mountain, I said to him: 
'Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could continue to 
walk along this trail with never a care in the world?' 

"He pressed my hand and looked at me without 
saying anything for some time. I sensed that he was 
contemplating a way to express disagreement with 
what I had just said. I had learned, after consider- 
able experience in associating with him, that he 
was sensitive to the feelings of others; and if he 
could not agree with an idea, he took time to show 
that he respected the opinion of others and did not 
wish his disagreement to be misinterpreted. He al- 
ways seemed to be saying: 'I understand why you 
have come to this conclusion, but would you con- 
sider another point of view?' He did not impose his 
ideas on anyone. He always gave others the feeling 
that he had found great joy in learning the mean- 
ing of a given principle, and he was trying to help 
them understand the principle so that they might 
experience the same joy. His love for others per- 
meated everything he did. Finally he spoke. 

" 'It is natural,' he said, 'for an individual to want 
to be happy in his many and varied activities in life. 
Pain can be unpleasant. But the degree of its un- 
pleasantness depends, it seems to me, on the basic 
attitude he has toward life. I have found it reward- 
ing to look at life as a kind of testing or proving 
experience. Let me read you a statement made by 
the Lord on this point: 



(For Course 12, lesson of January 9, "Why Jesus Established His 
Church"; for Course 18, lesson of January 16, "Opportunity"; for the 
general use of Course 24; for Course 27, lessons of December 5 and 12, 
"Moses — Valedictory"; to support Family Home Evening lesson 44; 
and of general interest.) 



440 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



. . . We will go down, for there is space there, 
and we will take of these materials, and we will 
make an earth whereon these may dwell; and we 
will prove them herewith, to see if they will do all 
things whatsoever the Lord their God shall com- 
mand them. (Abraham 3:24, 25.) 

" 'One aspect of this proving is to discover the 
principles that will bring us the same joy the Saviour 
experiences. The understanding and application of 
those principles will also permit us to experience 
eternal life, salvation and exaltation. 

" 'We often experience pain simply because we 
do not understand the factors causing the pain. A 
child puts his hand into the fire, not realizing what 
the fire will do to him. A person may suffer because 
he is not given some particular, formal position in 
the Church. But he can turn his suffering to joy 
by changing his concept of status. Rather than 
thinking of an office as a symbol of recognition, he 
can consider it as an opportunity to render service. 
Then he realizes that he doesn't need any particular 
position to share his ability with others. He finds 
opportunities in many of his daily activities: as a 
mate, a parent, a teacher, or an administrator. , 

" 'Thus, some pain can be eliminated by acquir- 
ing new knowledge. But all pain is not of this sort. 
For instance, others may mistreat us because of their 
own immaturity. People suffer when the wicked rule 
or govern. One way to react to this mistreatment is 
to try to "get even" with one's tormentors. But this 
tends to make tormented and tormentor alike. Cer- 
tainly one should not endure injustice if it can be 
avoided, but if it cannot be avoided for a time, he 
should not permit it to make him bitter, narrow, 
and revengeful. 

" 'Still another aspect of the proving is involved 
in one's ability to refuse an immediate satisfaction 
in order to obtain one of lasting duration. Stealing 
from others may provide material wealth, but if it 
denies one entrance into the celestial kingdom, it is 
certainly unwise behavior. The glass imitation of 
the diamond has small value when compared to the 
diamond itself. I find it useful to review constantly 
the great goals given us by the Saviour. The many 
experiences of this world can often cause us to be 
forgetful and to behave in ways which are not in 
accordance with His teachings. I am sure that is 
why He asked us to partake of the sacrament often. 



In one way, though, this is a sign of some immatur- 
ity on our part. We make sacred covenants with 
our Heavenly Father when we are baptized into 
the Church. If we were really mature, we would 
not need to be reminded of those covenants. We 
would implement them in all our daily activities. 
" 'The point I wish to make is this: Our Heaven- 
ly Father wants us to grow, spiritually, intellectually, 
emotionally, and socially, as well as physically. Life 
is a kind of refiner's fire. If we have understood and 
lived His principles in spite of the conditions of this 
world, we have truly fulfilled one of the great pur- 
poses of our being sent here. The Lord said: 

J pray not that thou shouldest take them out of 
the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from 
the evil. (John 17:15.)' 

"We used to come here together often. But 
then one day five years ago he died. I still come by 
myself, and the great probation principle he helped 
me to understand means so much to me. It 
has taught me to look for the open doors rather 
than to feel the frustration of the closed ones. It 
taught me to create opportunities, rather than to 
dwell upon disappointments and failures, except to 
learn from them. It has taught me that there is 
much to be learned from sorrow itself. 

If thou art called to pass through tribulation; if 
thou art in perils among false brethren; if thou art 
in perils among robbers; if thou art in perils by land 
or by sea; 

If thou art accused with all manner of false ac- 
cusations; if thine enemies fall upon thee; if they 
tear thee from the society of thy father and mother 
and brethren and sisters. . . . 

And if thou shouldest be cast into the pit, or 
into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of 
death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the 
deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; 
if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens 
gather blackness, and all the elements combine to 
hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws 
of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, 
know thou, my son, THAT ALL THESE THINGS 
SHALL GIVE THEE EXPERIENCE, AND 
SHALL BE FOR THY GOOD. THE SON OF MAN 
HATH DESCENDED BELOW THEM ALL. ART 
THOU GREATER THAN HE? (Doctrine and Cov- 
enants 122:5-8.) 

"I have found peace." 



Library File Reference: Gospel Living. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



441 



WHY AND WHY NOT? 



Junior 

Sunday 

School 




WHY SHOULD JUNIOR SUNDAY SCHOOL 

EMPHASIZE THE SPIRITUAL ASPECTS 

OF HOLIDAYS? 

Junior Sunday School teachers have the respon- 
sibility of helping children understand that in Sun- 
day School they enter the house of the Lord to 
study and learn about Him and their relationship 
to Him. The materials and program used should 
all contribute to religious concepts for these begin- 
ning learners who spend so few hours in Sunday 
School. 



Many holidays are of a religious origin and give 
a wonderful opportunity to teach the facts relating 
to them in a way that children can understand. 
Sunday School is one place where children learn 
the true meaning associated with these events. 

With our modern means of communication, chil- 
dren are exposed many times to the commercial 
aspects of holidays, and they could become con- 
fused about the real worth of them. The myths of 
Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny might be ex- 
citing, but they fail to add the significance to life 
that the divine birth of our Saviour or the resurrec- 
tion bring. Children are so unprotected from the 
commercial aspects of holidays that not only do we 
need to give them the correct versions, we need to 
counteract some of the misconceptions presented 
to them. 

Our calling is not to entertain, but to help the 
home build character by teaching truths so that 
children can understand and believe them. 

— Junior Sunday School Committee. 

Library Pile Reference: Sunday Schools — Mormon — Junior Sunday School. 



THE BEST FROM THE PAST 



This is a supplementary chart to help teachers find 
good lesson material from past issues of The Instructor. 
To purchase magazines, quote code numbers on the chart 
which are of interest to you, and send 35<£ for each copy 
desired. Reprints of many center spread pictures (not flan- 
nelboard characters) are available for 15^ each. 

We encourage Latter-day Saints to subscribe to and 
save The Instructor as a Sunday School teacher's encyclo- 
pedia of Gospel material. 



Abbreviations on the chart are as follows: 

First number quoted is the year. 

Second number quoted is the month. 

Third number quoted is the page. (e.g. 60-3-103 means 

1960, March, page 103.) 
Fbs — flannelboard story. 
Cs — center spread. 
Isbc — inside back cover. 
Osbc — outside back cover. 
* — not available. 





59-11-not available. SUNDAY SCHOOL COURSE NUMBER 




Jan. 


1 


2 


4 


6 


8 


10 


12 


14 


18 


20 


24 


26 


28 


2 


63-11-416 

64-1- 
Cover 


61-11-385 


61-12-406 


63-11-411 


59-11-366 
61-12-400 


59-11-360 
61-12-400 
63-11-366 
64-1-16 










59-11-356 
61-11-374 
61-12-412 
63-12-449 




59-11-377 
63-11-380 


9 


59-5-154 
59-6-193 


61-12-415 


63-12-421 


63-11-397 


61-12-415 


64-1-16 
64-2-45 


59-11-360 
59-12-418 
61-11-370 


63-12-452 
64-1-10 






59-11-373 
63-11-395 




61-11-381 


16 


59-6-193 


59-12-414 
61-12-415 


59-11-380 


59-12-396 
61-11-361 
63-11-407 


59-11-356 
61-12-415 


59-11-356 
64-1-16 


59-11-358 


61-11-364 


59-12-390 

61-11- 
363, 371 




59-11-373 
63-11-395 


50-1-Cs* 
61-1-28 


61-11-381 


23 


61-11-389 
63-11-416 


63-11-392 


61-5-174 
61-12-406 


65-1-Cs 


56-4- Fbs 

62-12-Fbs 

65-3-Cs 




59-11-358 




59-11- 
355, 360 




59-11-373 
63-11-395 


50-1-Cs 
61-1-28 


59-11-Cs 
63-12-422 


30 


63-11-416 


63-12-435 


63-11-397 


59-11-382 
59-12-392 


64-1- 
Isbc 


64-1-10 


59-11-358 
63-12-452 
64-1-10 


59-12-395 
61-12-397 


59-12-396 
61-11-361 
63-11-407 




61-12- 
426, 428 

63-10-350 


64-2-64 


62-2-Cs 


442 






















TH 


E INS" 


fRUCTOR 




CH 111 



Elijah is Fed by the Ravens 



by Hazel W. Lewis 

The prophet Elijah is well known and remembered by Biblical students for the 
miracles he performed; also for the marvelous fact that he left this earth in a chariot 
of fire as a "whirlwind into heaven," without going through the process of dying. 

He was steadfast in his belief in Jehovah, even though this meant his life was 
in constant danger. 

The following incidents, taken from J Kings 17:1-17, will help us understand 
the prophet's great faith in the Lord and his willingness to do as commanded. The 
story also gives us an insight into the way the Lord takes care of those who serve 
him. It ends with one of the miracles found in the story about Elijah. 

THE STORY 

For many years prior to Elijah's mission, the Israelites had been worshiping 
golden calves or idols instead of the Lord. Each succeeding king in the land seemed 
to be more wicked than his predecessor. 

Our story takes place in the reign of Ahab, king of Israel. He took for his wife 
Jezebel, the daughter of Ethbaal, king of the Zidonians. Now the wicked Jezebel 
brought her religion, that of the Zidonian Baal, with her. Ahab built temples and 
altars for the worshiping of her gods. One god, that of Zidon, was a nature god. Anti- 
spiritual ideas and immoral ceremonies were part of this worship. It is said that 
Ahab "did more to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of 
Israel that were before him." (I Kings 16:33.) 

Not only did Jezebel want her husband to worship her idols and acknowledge 
the many priests of Baal that came from Sidon (Zidon), her home country, but she 
did not want him to let any of the prophets of the Lord stay in Israel. The latter 
were in danger of their lives. In fact, many of them were killed. 

Perhaps because of Ahab's idolatry, the prophet Elijah, of Tishbe in Gilead, 
went to the king and said, 

... As the Lord God of Israel liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be 
dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. (I Kings 17:1.) 

Fearing the king's anger, Elijah went away quickly and soon disappeared. One 
can imagine the fear that must have struck the heart of Ahab. He sent men search- 
ing throughout the kingdom, but Elijah could not be found. 

Now when Elijah had left the king, the Lord came to Elijah and said: 

Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, 
that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shah drink of the brook; and I have 
commanded the ravens to feed thee there. (I Kings 17:3,4.) 

Now this brook Cherith (in a ravine or valley caused by torrents of water) 

was a place with which Elijah was familiar, since it was near his own surroundings, 

Tishbe in Gilead. He did as the Lord commanded. He hid himself there because of 

Jezebel's anger. 

And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and 
flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, 
that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land. (I Kings 17:6,7.) 

(Concluded on opposite back of picture.) 





ELIJAH 
IS FED 
BY THE 
RAVENS 





From a painting by 
J. J. Tissot 

Courtesy, The 

Jewish Museum, N.Y.C. 



Th« Intrude 



Elijah is Fed by the Ravens 

THE STORY (Concluded) 

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah again and told him to go to Zarephath 
to dwell. This heathen city was located between Tyre and Sidon (Zidon). Because 
it was close to these localities, it was probably a safe hiding place. Elijah was told 
by the Lord that a widow there would feed him. 

Elijah went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city he saw a 

widow gathering sticks. He called to her and said, 

. . . Fetch, me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. 
And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, 1 pray 
thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand. (I Kings 17:10,11.) 

The widow must have recognized Elijah by his dress, mannerisms, or speech, 
to be an Israelite, for she said to him, 

. . . As the Lord thy God liveth, I have not a cake, but an handful of meal in 
a barrel, and a little oil in a cruse: and, behold, I am gathering two sticks, that 1 
may go in and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it, and die. 

And Elijah said unto her, Fear not; go and do as thou hast said: but make me 
thereof a little cake first, and bring it unto me, and after make for thee and for 
thy son. 

For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, 
neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the Lord sendeth rain upon the 
earth. (1 Kings 17:1244.) 

Apparently the drought and famine had extended to the widow's homeland 
also. But Elijah seemed filled with such confidence and authority that the widow 
did as he had said. Elijah, the widow, and her household had food for many, 
many days. 

And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according 
to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah. (I Kings 17:16.) 

THE PICTURE 

In the picture, Elijah is Fed by the Ravens, the prophet of the Lord is hiding 
from his enemies by the brook Cherith. The brook is really in a ravine or torrent 
valley. With his bold brush strokes, the artist has depicted very cleverly the craggy 
rocks of the ravine. Tissot spent many years in the Holy Land to gain accurate ideas 
of the terrain, as well as other aspects of life there, which he subsequently used in 
his pictures. 

The powerful raven with black plumage is swooping down toward the prophet 
with food in its strong beak. Elijah with outstretched arm is eagerly waiting for the 
sustenance that the Lord has promised him. 

The picture gives one a feeling of loneliness and desolation. It also depicts 
patience on the part of the prophet. He is biding his time, depending on the ravens 
to bring him food until the time is right for him to go about the work of the 
Lord again. 



Bibliography: 

J. R. Dummelow, The One Volume Bible Commentary; Macmillan Company, New York, 1958; 
pages 223-224. 

Elsie E. Egermeier, Egermeier's Bible Story Book, "Why Birds Fed A Prophet By A Brook Near 
Jordan"; The Warner Press, Anderson, Indiana, 1947. 

Marion G. Merkley and Gordon B. Hinckley, Leaders of the Scriptures, "Elijah the Humble"; 
Deseret Sunday School Union, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1947. 

(For Course 6, lesson of January 16, "The Power of Faith"; for Course 18, lesson of January 30, "Faith"; for 
Course 26, lessons of January 23 and 30, "Elijah, the Prophet"; and of general interest.) 

LIBRARY FILE REFERENCE: Elijah. 



4 




A REQUIREMENT 
FOR MEMBERSHIP 



A Flannelboard Story 
by Marie F. Felt 

. . . Except a man be born of water and of the 
Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

(John 3:5.) 

It was on a spring morning, May 15, 1829, to be 
exact, that Joseph Smith and his friend, Oliver 
Cowdery, learned something very important. They 
had been working on the translation of the Book of 
Mormon when they came across a passage that 
mentioned baptism. Now, since neither of them had 
been baptized, and they really did not know very 
much about it, they decided to pray to their Heav- 
enly Father and ask Him what this meant. [End of 
Scene I.] 

As they were praying in the woods about this 
particular matter, a messenger from God descended 
from heaven in a cloud of light. His name was John, 
the same man who was known as John the Baptist 
during the time of Jesus. 

Now John knew, and Joseph and Oliver were 
about to learn, that no one can act in the name of 
God without first receiving from Him the authority 
to do it. This was the reason that John had come 
down from heaven. He had come to give them the 
power and authority to baptize. 

As he stood before these young men, John laid 
his hands upon their heads and said these words: 
(Read Joseph Smith 2:69.) [End of Scene II.] 

As soon as they had been ordained, John told 
Joseph to baptize Oliver by immersing him in the 
water, which means putting him down in the water 
so that he was completely covered by the water; 
then Oliver was to baptize Joseph. This they did. 

Joseph Smith tells us that, "Immediately on our 
coming up out of the water after we had been bap- 
tized, we experienced great and glorious blessings 
from our Heavenly Father. . . ." (Joseph Smith 
2:73.) [End of Scene III.] 

As time went on, Joseph and Oliver learned that 
under the direction of God others had been bap- 
tized in like manner. Even Adam, the very first 
man to live upon this earth, was "caught away by 
the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into 



(For Course 6, lesson of January 9, "Baptism, a Requirement for 
Membership"; for Family Home Evening lesson 31; and of general 
interest.) 



the water, and was laid under the water, and was 
brought forth out of the water." (Moses 6:64.) 

From the Book of Mormon these young men 
learned that Lehi, who had fled from Jerusalem 
with his family, saw a vision in which John the 
Baptist baptized Jesus. He saw this 600 years be- 
fore it really happened. 

Later, Alma, at the waters of Mormon, also bap- 
tized people by immersion. A person named Helam 
was chosen to be the first for this great honor, 
the first among this group of faithful followers to 
be baptized. In baptizing him, Alma, their leader 
and prophet said, ". . . Helam, I baptize thee, hav- 
ing authority from the Almighty God. . . . 

"And after Alma had said these words, both 
Alma and Helam were buried in the water; and 
they arose and came forth out of the water rejoic- 
ing, being filled with the Spirit. . . . 

"And after this manner he did baptize everyone 
that went forth to the place of Mormon . . . and 
they were baptized in the waters of Mormon." 
(Mosiah 18:13, 14, 16.) [End of Scene IV.] 

All this happened long before the Saviour was 
born; but when He was born and lived upon 
this earth, He, too, was baptized. He was baptized 
by the same John who came to earth in response to 
Joseph and Oliver's prayer. 

So effective were John's teachings that people 
everywhere listened to him. They felt that he was 
someone very special, which he was. Some of the 
Jews in Jerusalem even sent priests and Levites to 
ask him who he really was. 

John told them, "... I am not the Christ." Then 
they wanted to know if he were the Prophet Elias. 
". . . And he answered, No." 

"Then they said unto him, who art thou? . . . 
What sayest thou of thyself?" 

John then told them that he had been sent by 
God to prepare the people to receive and accept 
Jesus Christ when he should come, just as the 
Prophet Esaias (Isaiah) had done before. 

Then the Pharisees ". . . asked him, and said 
unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not 
that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?" (John 
1:20-22,25.) 

John was glad to have them ask this. He wanted 
them to understand; so he told them of Jesus, say- 
ing, ". . . But one mightier than I cometh, the lat- 
chet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: 
he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. . . ." 
(Luke 3:16.) 

It was not long after this that Jesus came one 
day from Nazareth in Galilee to be baptized by 
John in the River Jordan. (See Mark 1:9.) Know- 
ing that Jesus had done no wrong, John could not 
understand why this should be; so he said, "... I 



NOVEMBER 1965 



443 



have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou 
to me?" 

Jesus, however, understood, even though John 
did not. He had been sent by God to teach the 
people and to be an example to them of the things 
that they should do. He said, ". . . Suffer it to be 
so now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteous- 
ness. Then he suffered [allowed or permitted] him." 

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up 
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens 
were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of 
God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my 
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Matthew 
3:14-17.) 

These things were done in Bethabara beyond 
Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:28.) 
[End of Scene V.] 

With the example set by Jesus, and since the 
authority to baptize was held by John, it was nat- 
ural that God should send John the Baptist to 
Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. 

After the organization of The Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-day Saints in the state of New 
York in the United States of America, it was made 
known that to become members of this Church, we 
must be baptized by immersion as Jesus was; also, 
that the baptismal ordinance must be performed by 
someone holding the priesthood, and that we 
must be at least eight years old. 

When we become eight years of age, the bishop 
of the ward, branch, or mission in which we live, 
talks with us about what it means to be baptized 
and what it means to be a member of the Church. 
Following this, we go to the baptismal font in our 
area, and there we are met by one holding the Priest- 
hood of Aaron who has been chosen to perform this 
ordinance for us. In proper attire, we go with him 
into the water and are wholly immersed in the water 
as Jesus was. [End of Scene VI.] 

Following this, we have hands laid upon our heads 
by those holding the Melchizedek Priesthood and 



Order of 

Flannelboard 

Scenes 



are confirmed members of The Church of Jesus 
Christ of Latter-day Saints. This latter ordinance is 
usually done at fast meeting service. Then our names 
are recorded as Church members. [End of Scene 
VII.] 

How To Present the Flannelboard Story: 

Characters and Props Needed for This Presentation Are: 

Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery praying in the 
woods. (CH111.) 

John the Baptist in attitude of ordaining Joseph and 
Oliver. (CH112.) 

Joseph baptizing Oliver. (CH113.) 

Alma baptizing Helam as other faithful Nephites look 
on. (BM74.) Larger figures (BM71, BM69) in 
January, 1965, issue. 

John baptizing Jesus in the River Jordan. (NT100.) 

A child, 8 years of age, being baptized by a priest. 
(ML42.) 

The same child being confirmed a member of the 
Church at fast meeting, by one holding the Mel- 
chizedek Priesthood. (ML43.) 

Order of Episodes 

Scene I: 

Scenery: The woods where Joseph and Oliver had gone 

to pray. 
Action: Joseph and Oliver kneeling, as they pray to 

God. (CH111.) 

Scene II: 

Scenery: Same as Scene I. 

Action: John the Baptist (CHI 12) is seen conferring 
the Aaronic Priesthood upon Joseph and Oliver. 
(CH111.) 

Scene III: 

Scenery: An outdoor scene where there is water. 

Action: Joseph is seen baptizing Oliver. (CH113.) 
Scene IV: 

Scenery: An outdoor scene at the Waters of Mormon. 

Action: Alma is seen baptizing Helam as other faithful 
Nephites look on. (BM74.) 

Scene V: 

Scenery: An outdoor scene in the land of Palestine. 
Action: John is seen baptizing Jesus. (NT100.) 
Scene VI: 

Scenery: An indoor scene showing a baptismal font. 
Action: A child is being baptized by a priest of The 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (ML 
42.) 

Scene VII: 

Scenery: Indoor scene in a chapel of The Church of 
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

Action: A child is being confirmed a member of the 
Church by one holding the Melchizedek Priest- 
hood. (ML43.) 

Library File Reference: Baptism. 








1 


! 

I 








\ 


— 


A?Sl^, 




7 



444 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



YOUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY 
IN TA MINUTES 

In visiting Sunday Schools we see a surprising 
number of our young people reading the 2 x /i -minute 
talk rather than giving it from memory. 

It is permissible to read the talk, even though it 
is taken from the printed words of someone else. 
But one of the greatest values of the talk is to 
have it spoken by a young person who looks at the 
audience while speaking, and who gives the talk 
entirely from memory, even to giving the thoughts 
of others from memory, rather than reading them. 

Two-and-one-half-minute talks are primarily for 
the purpose of giving people practice in facing an 
audience and in talking loud enough that all might 
hear. A speaker may use quotes if he desires, but 



it is surprising how much development comes from 
being so well prepared that he can look at the 
audience and give the talk, even though he has 
some quotations to include in it. 

Boys and girls who are called to go on missions 
are better prepared if they have given several 2^- 
minute talks in this manner. 

Every boy and girl should have the privilege of 
preparing at least two or more talks, of giving them 
in class, and then of giving them before the entire 
Sunday School. Every one of the talks should be 
spoken so that all may see and hear the speaker. 
When the call comes to go on a mission or to teach 
a class, such preparation will be very helpful in 
equipping the boy or girl for that work. 

— General Superintendent George R. Hill. 



Library File Reference: Sunday Schools — Mormon — Talks. 



Advancement Schedule, January 2, 1966 



1965 

COURSE 

NUMBER 



1965 SUBJECT 



1. A Gospel of Love- 
1. A Gospel of Love- 



la. Beginnings of Religious Praise. 



:i 



3. Growing in the Gospel, Part II. 
5. Living Our Religion, Part II 



7. History of the Church for Children- 

9. Scripture Lessons in Leadership — 

11. History of the Restored Church 



13. Principles of the Restored Church at Work. 
15. Life in Ancient America 



17. An Introduction to the Gospel. 



:> 



NOTE: Except from Course 1, group promo- 
tions out of the class should not be made. The 
entire class is given the new course subject as 
indicated by the arrow. Teachers and class- 
rooms may be changed. 



iChildren nearly three and three years old. 

includes from Course 1 only those children who will be four 
years old on Jan. 2, 1966. 



1966 
COURSE 

NUMBER 



1966 SUBJECT 



1. A Gospel of Love. 1 

2. Growing in the Gospel, Part I. 2 

4. Living Our Religion, Part I. 

6. What It Means To Be a Latter-day Saint. 

8. Old Testament Stories. 

10. The Life of Christ. 

12. Church of Jesus Christ in Ancient Times. 

14. Message of The Master. 

18. Christ's Ideals for Living. 

Elective Courses for Adults in 1966: 

20. Genealogical Research — A Practical Mission 
(Genealogical Training) . 

23. Teaching the Gospel 
(Teacher Training — Restricted). 

24. Parent and Youth (Family Relations). 

26. Old Testament Prophets (Gospel Doctrine). 

28. The Articles of Faith (Gospel Essentials). 

(See The 1964 Sunday School Handbook for 
membership.) 



NOVEMBER 1965 



445 




You Are Called to Serve 



Superintendents 



Superintendents, how many 
times have you asked yourselves, 
"Will he make a good teacher?" 

In visiting the stake conferences 
this year, as most of you are 
aware, the General Board visitor 
of the Deseret Sunday School 
Union has left with the stake su- 
perintendent a guide book for 
Sunday School teachers entitled, 
You Are Called to Serve. While 
this book is prepared to acquaint 
newly called teachers with their 
responsibility in the Sunday 
School, it is also a helpful guide 
to superintendents in choosing 
teachers. 

What do you expect in a teach- 
er? When you study the list of 
ward members, what do you have 
in mind as the basic qualifications 
for a prospective teacher in the 
Sunday School? 

Undoubtedly there are many 
ideas concerning this question. 
Some are undoubtedly far wiser 
than those which I express. There 
are five characteristics of a good 
teacher which, I believe, if kept 
in mind, will substantially assist 
a superintendent in choosing good 
potential teachers: 

First, a genuine love of the 
teacher for his fellowmen. This is 
evidenced by his friendliness to- 
ward children, adults, and mem- 
bers of the family. Does he appear 
to be companionable and under- 
standing? These are the qualities 
spoken of by Plato when he asked, 
"Whom can I teach but my 
friends?" 

Second, a spirit of humility. 
This is the quality that involves 
the ability to listen. It is the evi- 
dence that a teacher has a desire 
to know the student's point of 
view, his problems, and his ideas 



of the solution. A disposition to 
seek divine help when attempting 
to give an answer to the problem 
propounded is an application of 
the principle of humility. 

Third, a testimony of the Gospel 
of Jesus Christ. A teacher must 
know that what he teaches is true. 
Without this assurance there is no 
conviction to what he says. This 
is the first reason why nonmem- 
bers of the Church are not called 
as teachers. 

The fourth indispensable re- 
quirement, and probably the most 
important, a life that will be ex- 
emplary of the principles being 
taught. If the principles of order, 
promptness, respect, and discipline 
are being taught, the teacher him- 
self must live them. If he urges 
participation in Church meetings 
and Church attendance, he him- 
self must attend regularly. If he 
expects respect for the brethren 
and their authority, he must 
show that respect to them. If he 
teaches that living the Gospel 
brings joy and happiness into the 
lives of those who embrace it, then 
the teacher should radiate such 
reactions from the joy and happi- 
ness and love that abound in his 
home, in his association with oth- 
ers, and in going about doing good. 

Fifth, a willingness to learn. It 
is not expected that a new teacher 
will know all the answers. In fact, 
a response, "I don't know. Who 
would like to help me find the 
answer?" is often a very effective 
teaching tool. The urge to study 
and improve his scholarship for 
more effective teaching is evi- 
denced, in part, by his willingness 
to attend prayer meeting, stake 
preparation meeting, and to sub- 
scribe to and use The Instructor. 



Individuals with these qualifi- 
cations should make good teach- 
ers. They will learn the techniques 
of teaching that come from study 
and practice. It is hoped that 
every prospective teacher will 
have the experience of a teacher 
training class. In its absence many 
will want to read the manual, 
Teaching the Gospel, by Asahel 
D. Woodruff. 

Of course, all of these guides are 

for the purpose of finding teachers 

who can make the Gospel of Jesus 

Christ meaningful to students. 

- — Superintendent 

Lynn S. Richards. 



BLESSINGS IN LIFE 

(Our Cover) 

Here is a well-fed, warm, 
contented young lad enjoying 
the fellowship of his dog and 
the blessings of a bounteous 
harvest. One provides spirit- 
ual blessings in the form of 
love and companionship. The 
other — the staff of life — 
gives physical blessings. 

Will he always enjoy his 
rights and privileges, intend- 
ed by God and outlined in 
man's freedom charters? Only 
as long as he keeps the com- 
mandments of God. For Jes- 
us said, ". . . Inasmuch as ye 
shall keep my commandments 
ye shall prosper in the land; 
but inasmuch as ye will not 
keep my commandments ye 
shall be cut off from my 
presence." (2 Nephi 1:20.) 
— Richard E. Scholle. 



(For Course 3, lesson of November 
14, "We Are Grateful for Life"; for 
Course 2, lesson of January 9, "The 
Lord Created Our Earth"; and of 
general interest.) 
Library File Reference: Autumn. 



446 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



Memorized Recitations 

for Jan. 2, 1966 

During November and Decem- 
ber these scriptures should be 
memorized by students in Courses 
10 and 18, respectively. They 
should then be recited in unison 
during the Sunday School wor- 
ship service of Jan. 2, 1966. 

Course 10: 

(This verse explains how the 
apostles received the Holy Ghost 
after hands had been laid upon 
their heads.) 

"Then laid they their hands on 
them, and they received the Holy 
Ghost." —Acts 8:17. 



Answers to Your Questions- 



Faculty Meetings 



Q. When should faculty meet- 
ings be held? 

— Superintendent's Conference. 

A. "In those stakes in which the 
wards are so widely scattered that 
it is not feasible to hold prepara- 
tion meetings monthly, either in a 
central place or on a regional basis, 
the in-service teacher improvement 
program is done by a faculty meet- 
ing held in each ward or branch 
monthly instead of by a monthly 
preparation meeting. In those 
wards in which the bishops hold 
monthly leadership meetings, or 
in those wards in which Sun- 
day School superintendencies and 
teachers get together on a volun- 



Course 18: 

(This scripture emphasizes the 
importance of performing an ordi- 
nance as it has been prescribed 
by the Lord.) 

"Ye have not chosen me, but I 
have chosen you, and ordained 
you, that ye should go and bring 
forth fruit, and that your fruit 
should remain: that whatsoever 
ye shall ask of the Father in my 
name, he may give it you." 

— John 15:16. 



COMING EVENTS 

Dec. 19, 1965 
Christmas Worship Service 

• • • 

Jan. 2, 1966 
Pupil Advancement 
Begin New Courses 



teer and helpful basis, Sunday 
School faculties may meet for 
teacher improvement work sup- 
plementary to that offered in the 
stake preparation meeting." (See 
Sunday School Handbook, 1964, 
pages 61, 62.) 



Setting Apart 

Q. Should officers and teachers 
be set apart? 

— Superintendent's Conference. 

A. The setting apart of teach- 
ers in the auxiliary organizations 
should be left to the discretion of 
the bishop or another presiding 
authority involved. (See reprint, 
letter of The First Presidency, 
Handbook, page 90.) 

— General Superintendency. 



INDEX TO CHURCH PERIODICALS 

Laurie T. Eastwood and M. Lovelle 
Mortenson, Index Guide to Periodicals 
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Lat- 
ter-day Saints; Deseret Book Company, 
Salt Lake City, Utah, 1965; 123 pages. 
$.75 paper. 

The Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-day Saints publishes five 
periodicals. These are: The Chil- 
dren's Friend, Church News, The 
Improvement Era, The Instructor, 
and The Relief Society Magazine. 
It now becomes more practical for 
each Church member to build a 
reference library of his own. Each 
Church member would do well to 
subscribe to and preserve these 
periodicals. The book described 
above is a combined author and 
subject index to these publica- 
tions. It is a must for all teachers 
in the Church, and a copy should 
be found in every ward library and 
Latter-day Saint home. 

Acceptable standards of period- 
ical indexing have been adhered to 
throughout. Each issue of the 
periodicals has been covered. 

This book covers the periodicals 

for 1964. The first issue, covering 

the year 1963, is still available. 

— James R. Tolman. 



The Deseret Sunday School Union 



George R. Hill, General Superintendent 

David Lawrence McKay, First Assistant General Superintendent; Lynn S. Richards, Second Assistant General Superintendent 
Wallace F. Bennett, General Treasurer; Paul B. Tanner, Assistant General Treasurer; Richard E. Folland, General Secretary 

MEMBERS OF THE DESERET SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION BOARD 



George R. Hill 
David L. McKay 
Lynn S. Richards 
Wallace F. Bennett 
Richard E. Folland 
Lucy G. Sperry 
Marie F. Felt 
Gerrit de Jong, Jr. 
Earl J. Glade 
A. William Lund 
Kenneth S. Bennion 
J. Hoi man Waters 
H. Aldous Dixon 
Leland H. Monson 
Alexander Schreiner 
Lorna C. Alder 
A. Parley Bates 



William P. Miller 
Vernon J. LeeMaster 
Claribel W. Aldous 
Eva May Green 
Melba Glade 
Addie L. Swapp 
W. Lowell Castleton 
Henry Eyring 
Carl J. Christensen 
Hazel F. Young 
Florence S. Allen 
Beth Hooper 
Asahel D. Woodruff 
Frank S. Wise 
Clair W. Johnson 
Delmar H. Dickson 
Clarence Tyndall 



Wallace G. Bennett 
Addie J. Gilmore 
Camille W. Halliday 
Margaret Hopkinson 
Mima Rasband 
Edith Nash 
Minnie E. Anderson 
Alva H. Parry 
Harold A. Dent 
Bernard S. Walker 
Paul B. Tanner 
Catherine Bowles 
Raymond B. Holbrook 
Joseph Fielding Smith, Jr. 
Lorin F. Wheelwright 
Fred W. Schwendiman 



Lewis J. Wallace 
Clarence E. Wonnacott 
Lucy Picco 
Arthur D. Browne 
J. Roman Andrus 
Howard S. Bennion 
Herald L. Carlston 
O. Preston Robinson 
Robert F. Gwilliam 
Dale H. West 
Bertrand F. Harrison 
Willis S. Peterson 
Greldon L. Nelson 
Thomas J. Parmley 
Jane L. Hopkinson 
Oliver R. Smith 



G. Robert Ruff 
Anthony I. Bentley 
Mary W. Jensen 
John S. Boyden 
Golden L. Berrett 
Marshall T. Burton 
Edith B. Bauer 
Elmer J. Hartvigsen 
Donna D. Sorensen 
Calvin C. Cook 
A. Hamer Reiser 
Robert M. Cundick 
Clarence L. Madsen 
J. Elliot Cameron 
Bertrand A. Childs 
James R. Tolman 



Richard L. Evans, Howard W. Hunter, Advisers to the General Board 



NOVEMBER 1965 



447 



JOSEPH Klausner, respected Jewish scholar, re- 
jects the divinity of the Saviour but acknowl- 
edges Him to be the master artist in parable and 
proverb. 1 In this article we shall briefly examine 
the proverbs and parables of Jesus and consider their 
value as tools of the teaching trade. 

The Proverbs of Jesus 

Questions: 

1. What is a proverb? 

2. Recall one coined by Jesus. 

A proverb is defined as "a short, wise saying used 
for a long time by many people." 2 This simple defini- 
tion is quite adequate, for it contains the most essen- 
tial elements. A proverb is brief, concise, easy to 
remember and repeat. It contains wisdom, substance, 
insight. Like any classic, it has appeal over a long 
period of time to many people. One might call it folk- 
wisdom, captured in a pithy saying. 

Every people with which we are acquainted has 
its store of proverbs— Chinese, English, Spanish, Ger- 
man, and Hebrew. In the days before the printing 
press and before the development of modern science, 
proverbs may have played an even greater role than 
they do today. 

In our religious tradition we associate proverbs 
with the book of Proverbs in the Old Testament. 
This collection, however, does not consist essentially 
of proverbs in the strict meaning of the word. Rather, 
it contains exhortations, sermonettes, poems, as well 
as statements of a proverbial nature, many of which, 
however, are too long to remember easily. For ex- 
ample, "Train up a child in the way he should go: 
and when he is old, he will not depart from it." 
(Proverbs 22:6.) A genuine proverb in this collec- 
tion is, "A soft answer turneth away wrath. . . ." 
(Proverbs 15:1.) 

Some of the proverbs of Jesus are: 

. . . The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is 
weak. (Mark 14:38.) 

. . . For all they that take the sword shall perish 
with the sword. (Matthew 26:52.) 

... A prophet is not without honour save in his 
own country. (Matthew 26:52.) 

. . . Man shall not live by bread alone. . . (Mat- 
thew 4:4.) 

. . . Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 
Matthew 6:34.) 

. . . Neither cast ye your pearls before swine. ... 
(Matthew 7:6.) 



1 Joseph Klausner, Jesus of Nazareth, His Life, Times, and 
Teaching; MacMillan Company, New York, N.Y., 1926; pages 413-4. 
3 World Book Dictionary 



Seventh in the Teacher Improvement Series 
on "Jesus, the Master Teacher." 



JESUS- 
MASTER ARTIST 
IN PROVERB 
AND PARABLE 



by Lowell L. Bennion 

. . / Let the dead bury their dead. (Matthew 

8:22.) 

... They that be whole need not a physician. 

(Matthew 9:12.) 

. . . Every . . . house divided against itself shall 

not stand. (Matthew 12:25.) 

With God all things are possible. (Mark 10:27.) 

For many are called, but few are chosen. (Mat- 
thew 22:14.) 

Proverbs in Teaching 

Questions: 

1. Of what special value are proverbs in teaching? 

Proverbs serve the same function as illustrations 
and stories; they are memorable. They also func- 
tion as a focal point by which a lesson may be intro- 
duced, summarized, or even developed. People are 
not impressed by generalities and abstract talk; they 
need the concrete to grasp and to remember and to 
communicate with each other. Proverbs are colorful; 
they appeal to feelings and imagination as well as 
to logic. They are, therefore, motivating and espe- 
cially influential in conduct. 

The late James E. Moss, a beloved seminary 
teacher, used a stock of proverbial sayings in his 
teaching. His students to this day are confronted 
by them in their everyday behavior. For example, 
"He that is good at making excuses is good for noth- 
ing else"; and, "Habit is a cable: each day we weave 
a thread of it until it becomes so strong we cannot 
break it." 

The teacher wishing to be more interesting and 
effective in Gospel teaching might do well to accu- 
mulate a large supply of proverbs from scripture 



448 



THE INSTRUCTOR 






FROM A PAINTING BY CARL HE1NRICH BLOCH. 



and other sources and even try creating some of his 
own. He will realize, of course, that proverbs are 
not equally valid, that one can be found to "prove" 
almost any position; and yet, used with discretion, 
they become a lively tool in teaching. 

The Parables of Jesus 

Questions: 

1. What is a parable? 

2. Make a list of the parables of Jesus which you may 
use effectively in your course this year. 

A parable is a story with a moral or a teaching. 
It is not simply a retelling of an historical happen- 
ing, but a re-creation of life situations through the 
imaginative power of its author. Like a portrait, it 
is reality as seen and reconstructed by the artist, a 
fusion of life and its interpretation. Everything in 
the parable could have happened, is true to life; but 
the creative genius of its author re-creates reality 
into artistic and even more meaningful form. 

Consider for illustration the Prodigal Son. It is 
so real, so true of life, that the story might have 
occurred just as Jesus told it. On the other hand, 
every line and each development of the story reflect 
the spiritual insight and artistic touch of the Master. 
No father, son, or brother could have found the 
words to speak which Jesus spoke. He took the 
realities of human experience and clothed them in 
words and pictures which one can never forget. Life 
enhanced by His mind is far more meaningful than 
it is when seen by the naked eye. 

Jesus spoke in parables a great deal. (See Mat- 
thew 13:33, 34.) He seems to have had more than 



one purpose in mind in their frequent use. On oc- 
casion, He spoke so His disciples would understand 
but the multitude would not. More often, this writer 
believes, He spoke in parables to be understood by 
His hearers. Then the meaning of His parables in 
most instances is clear and emphatic. 

Application to Teaching 

Space precludes a further treatment of the par- 
ables except to consider briefly their value and use 
in teaching. The teacher of religion would do well 
to read the Gospels and familiarize himself with the 
parables of Jesus. Luke is the richest source. The 
teacher himself might even try to create one ap- 
propriate to his lesson. The effort would likely 
enhance his admiration for the Master's art. 

Parables have all the values of any illustration. 
They are vivid, concrete, alive, full of human inter- 
est, and revelatory of life. The reader or listener 
readily identifies himself with the characters and 
situations in the parable. This is dramatically il- 
lustrated in Nathan's telling of a parable to King 
David. (See II Samuel 11 and 12, especially 12:1-7.) 
A parable is remembered long after general discus- 
sion is forgotten. Moreover, parables like any good 
stories, arrest and hold the attention of students. 

They should be used wherever appropriate. Care 
should be taken to be effective in their employment 
— to select wisely, lay background, read or tell with 
correct meaning and in character, and to devise 
means of motivating students to probe their essence 
and make application to their own lives. 



Library File Reference: Teachers and Teaching;. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



449 



We Learn to Sing 

Senior Sunday School Hymn for the Month of January, 1966 




Hymn: "Come, O Thou King of 
Kings"; author, Parley Parker Pratt; 
composer, unknown; Hymns — Church 
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 
No. 20. 

This hymn is both spiritual and 
spirited in quality. It is obviously 
spiritual in being addressed to the 
heavenly throne and is therefore 
a prayer. But it is also intense and 
earnest, and accented like a grand 
hosanna; therefore the expression 
calls for singing it fervently and 
loudly throughout. 

In Stories of Latter-day Saint 
Hymns (page 185), George D. 
Pyper wrote: "Parley P. Pratt and 
twelve hundred men, women, and 
children had been driven from 
their homes in Jackson County, 
Missouri, in the autumn of 1833 
by a murderous mob. Two hun- 
dred homes were burned and fam- 
ilies separated. Many of the Saints 
were killed and others brutally 
flogged . . . and the people forced 
across the river into Clay County. 
It was amid such trying and peril- 
ous times, no doubt, that Parley 
P. Pratt wrote, 'Come, O Thou 
King of Kings.' It was a fervent 
cry to the God of Israel to come 
and set His people free; an appeal 
to the mighty King of kings to 
make an end of sin; a prayer that 
the time might come soon when 
the Saints, in happier songs and 



rejoicings, might enjoy a reign of 
peace." 

This warmhearted hymn was 
included in the first hymnbook 
published by the Church in 1835 
and has been sung to various hymn 
tunes. Parley P. Pratt was a mem- 
ber of the first Council of the 
Twelve. At various times he pre- 
sided over the Canadian, British, 
Eastern States, and California 
Missions. He died in 1857 at the 
age of 50. He wrote many of our 
finest hymns. For example: "An 
Angel from on High" (No. 224), 
"As the Dew from Heaven Distill- 
ing" (No. 232), and "The Morn- 
ing Breaks; the Shadows Flee" 
(No. 269). We can find no more 
beautiful, poetic expressions con- 
cerning the Lord's present-day 
work than those of Brother Pratt. 

To the Chorister: 

Try giving a generous and clear 
preparatory beat before each stan- 
za. This consists, in this instance, 
of a full outward swing of both 
arms, while our singers take op- 
portunity to inhale so they will be 
ready to sing the first word. 

The moderate tempo for this 
hymn is 92 beats per minute. Do 
not take it any faster. With the 
right tempo, the people will 



breathe quite naturally every two 
measures, taking a quarter rest 
from the dotted half notes. 

To the Organist: 

To inspire the right kind of sing- 
ing, the playing can begin in sev- 
eral ways. First, use a strong and 
bright registration — one with some 
high-pitched stops. Second, use a 
firm, not wobbly, tone. Third, play 
this music with a strong, regular 
rhythm. Try to cooperate with the 
chorister toward a moderate tem- 
po of 92 beats per minute. This is 
almost three beats for every two 
seconds. 

Do you ever transpose? It is 
fun if you are willing to try it 
first in private. For congregational 
singing this hymn should be done 
in a lower key than the one in the 
hymn book. If you are not skilled 
in transposition, then put it on 
your agenda for some delightful 
practice. Just remember, "That 
which you persist in doing becomes 
easy to do." Practice it first one- 
half tone lower, and then a full 
tone lower in the key of A Flat. 
If you are eager to study, then try 
it also in the key of G. In the Jan- 
uary, 1962, issue of The Instructor, 
page 29, this hymn is printed in 
full in the key of G. 

— Alexander Schreiner. 



Junior Sunday School Hymn for the Month of January, 1966 



Hymn: "The Sacrament Is Ready"; 
author and composer, Vernon J. Lee- 
Master. 

At times, many of us have said 
we feel rather limited in the choice 
of sacramental hymns for Junior 
Sunday School worship service. 
Since last August, with the addi- 
tion'of the one for this month, we 
have suggested three hymns that 
are appropriate to use for the sac- 



rament. 1 Others suitable for this 
purpose are suggested in A Guide 
for Choristers and Organists in 
Junior Sunday School, page 11. 

To the Chorister: 

To introduce this hymn we 
might tell the boys and girls that 
the sacrament is to remind us of 

^'Jesus Is Our Loving Friend," The In- 
structor, June 1965, page 243; and "Jesus, 
Once of Humble Birth," The Instructor, July 
1965, page 287. 



Jesus, and the sacramental hymn 
we sing helps us to think about 
Him. If we listen carefully to the 
prayers the members of the priest- 
hood say on the bread and water, 
we will notice that we make a 
promise to Him, and that the 
words are always the same, be- 
cause the Saviour told us exactly 
what to say. (See Doctrine and 
Covenants 20:77, 79.) 



450 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



As we take the sacrament, we 
promise Him, silently, that we will 
remember Him and obey His com- 
mandments. That is why we sit so 
quietly while the emblems are be- 
ing passed. We are thinking of 
Jesus and what He did for us, 
and we are also making this prom- 
ise to Him. Then, too, He has told 
us that if we do keep this promise 
and always remember Him and live 
as He desires, we will have His 
spirit to be with us, to protect us, 
and to help us do what is right. 
And we know that when we do 
right, we are really happy. 

Some of us may be undecided 
as to what visual aids to use with 
this hymn. Now we do need to re- 
member that there are times when 
visual aids defeat their purpose 
and are unnecessary. We also need 
to remember that too many aids 
used at one time detract from the 
main concept of a hymn and be- 
come ineffective. In this case, vis- 
ual aids are not needed because 
children participate in the sacra- 
ment service each week, and it is 
a very real and vivid experience for 
them. 

"The Sacrament Is Ready" may 
be taught by the "whole song" 
method. This method is used with 
short, easy hymns. When we teach 
a hymn this way, we first sing it 
two or three times while the chil- 
dren listen. Then we ask them to 
join with us. After singing it to- 
gether several times, we find that 
the boys and girls soon remember 
it. The words of this hymn will be 
easily understood by the children, 
but it may be wise to ask them if 
they know what we mean when we 
sing the last part, "remind us of 
our King." 

To the Organist: 

Usually the hymns are taught 
without accompaniment, and the 
chorister will probably want to do 
the same thing this time. However, 
when children know this hymn, 
the accompaniment will be added 
as enrichment to the singing. But 



The Sacrament Is Ready 



Vernon J.LeeMaster 



jm 



r r r r 



j J i r J I J 



The sac-ra-ment is read-y, our voic-es soft- ly 



& 



ia^£ 



IE 



1 



sing; 

42.- 



* 



$ 



i 



^^ 



The bro-ken bread and wa- ter re- mind us of our King. 



^m 



£ 



S 



it is advisable for the organist to 
give the chorister the beginning 
pitch so the boys and girls will be 
taught the hymn in the key in 
which it is written, because it has 
been specifically written within 
the correct and most desirable 
range for children's voices. 

The music that precedes and 
follows the sacrament gem is 
found in The Instructor each 



month. It is important that we 
use this music because it is writ- 
ten especially for this occasion. We 
will need to take time to practice 
it so it will be played most effec- 
tively. Many of us select other 
music which very often seems 
rather inappropriate and tends to 
detract from the sacredness and 
the reverence of the sacrament 
gem. — Edith Nash. 



January Sacrament Gems 

Senior Sunday School Junior Sunday School 

Jesus said, ". . . This is my body Jesus said, ". . . He that loveth 
which is given for you: this do in me shall be loved of my Father, 
remembrance of me." 1 . . ." 2 



iLuke 22:19. 



zjohn 14:21. 



Organ Music To Accompany January Sacrament Gems 



Simplice 



pi 



^u 



m 




^ 



Darwin K. Wolford 



s 



2 



rrj 



3H 



Ft 
j — i 



r 



¥ 



fY^i » 



1 



LAA 



1AA 




NOVEMBER 1965 



451 



e* 



DISCIPLINE HOLDS THE 
WORLD TOGETHER" 



by Rulon W. Clark* 



A 16-year-old high school girl in the winning es- 
say of a state-wide contest on "Delinquency" said: 

Many adults shrink from administering discipline. 
This is a cowardly act. Discipline should never be 
avoided; it is too important. An adult administering 
discipline to a child must be fair, firm, and above 
all, consistent. This discipline holds the world to- 
gether because it helps him to. make sense out of his 
existence. Discipline gives dimensions to a child's 
life. 

Growing up, from childhood to adulthood, is a 
slow and difficult process. The child, being full of 
energy and vigor and seeking an outlet for it, often 
makes mistakes and sometimes serious ones that 
may adversely affect his life's behavior patterns. Our 
job as teachers and adults is to help protect the 
child from serious wrongs and to direct his energies 
in establishing good behavior patterns and high 
ideals. 

"Why Did You Spank Me?" 




"Say, Dad! How come you did such a poor job 
raising me that you have to spank me like this?" 

This cartoon raises a number of questions. Did 
the boy need a spanking? Did he know what he was 
being punished for? Was he attempting to shift the 
blame for his behavior over to his father? Was the 



father expressing his emotion of failure or disap- 
pointment for the misbehavior of his child? Or was 
the punishment justified? 

Punishment is an important principle in dealing 
with human behavior. It should be administered 
wisely and consistently. Our Second Article of Faith 
says, "We believe that men will be punished for 
their own sins and not for Adam's transgression." 
In taking a broader view of this statement than the 
one usually applied, we can say that men will be 
punished for their transgression either by them- 
selves or by those of superior jurisdiction. But in 
dealing with a child's problems, punishment should 
be used as a means to an end, rather than an end 
in itself. 

Too often, punishment of a child is an endeavor 
on the part of the parent to relieve his own hostile 
feelings, rather than a wise means of correcting the 
child's misbehavior. Undoubtedly the parent is irri- 
tated, hurt, and upset by a child's serious misbe- 
havior; but he should not seek relief by punishing 
the child. 

Do We Encourage Misbehavior? 

One who laughs at his child's wrongdoing or im- 
proper language only encourages him to repeat this 
type of behavior or to do or say more things of an 
undesirable nature. The child, as well as the adult, 
seeks recognition; and when he gets it by improper 
means, he has an incentive to continue misbehaving 
and thereby develop improper habits and attitudes. 

When a social worker went into a house to in- 
quire about assistance for the family, she was greeted 
by a small boy who jumped up on the couch, pulled 
out his toy pistol, and began shooting at the visitor. 
The mother said, "Now, Johnny, it won't do any 
good to shoot and kill this worker; they will only 
send another." The life and feelings of the worker 
who came to help the family were not considered. 
The child kept on shooting and embarrassing the 
welfare worker, and without correction he would 
continue to develop antisocial behavior patterns. 

Often parents miss good opportunities to help 



(For Course 24, lessons of January, "Parenthood within the 
Gospel Plan" and "The Importance of Knowing the Facts"; and 
of general interest.) 

*Brother Rulon W. Clark served as a juvenile court judge for 
26 years, from 1933 to 1959. He is a recipient of the Sertoma Inter- 
national award for Service to Mankind. He has served in many 
Church positions, including a stake presidency for 17 years. 
He obtained his B.A. degree from the University of Utah and hs 
LL.B. from LaSalle Extension University, Chicago. He and his 
wife, Virginia B. Clark, are parents of seven children. 



452 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



their children by being "too busy," "too tired," or 
by just neglecting to take advantage of opportuni- 
ties to direct the thinking and behavior of the chil- 
dren. Young people are inquisitive and full of 
questions, and it is a wise parent who will take the 
time and has the insight to give intelligent answers 
to stimulate children's interest in things that are 
worthwhile. When a mother takes a child shopping 
at the grocery store, instead of saying, "Don't 
touch!" "Never mind!" "We don't need that!" she 
might take advantage of the great opportunity to 
open the child's mind to merchandising, proper selec- 
tion of foods for health, other people's needs and 
likes and dislikes, and respect for the rights of other 
people. Not only can this help the child in his 
learning processes, but it can help establish a bond 
between parent and child that will keep the door 
open for continued teaching and companionship. 

Do We Remember Our Own Childhood? 

The Apostle Paul said that when he was a child, 
he spoke as a child; but when he became a man, he 
put away childish things. This does not mean that 
when we become parents we should not understand 
the child's way of thinking and living. Too many of 
us forget how we acted and what we liked when we 
were children. Our maturity should help us to under- 
stand children and direct them to proper adult 
standards as they grow up, rather than expect them 
to conform to adult standards and punish them 
when they fail to conform. 

We cannot prevent misbehavior, delinquency, 
and crime by hysteria, with blind punishment. 
Youth need sympathetic understanding and skilful 
guidance. 

Do we ever draw wrong conclusions about our 
child's behavior, misjudge him, and punish him 
without first obtaining the facts involved? A child 
who came home from school with his face and hands 
and clothes dirty was met with the rebuke, "Well, 
fighting again" and sent to his room without dinner. 
It so happened that he had been helping his teacher 
get out some dusty scenery for the school play. He 
developed resentment toward his parent. 

Is the Discipline Fair? 

When punishment is administered, it should be 
for a definite purpose; and the child should know 
why he is being punished. Did you ever hear of the 
mother who said, "You just wait until your father 
gets home, and you'll be punished." One boy who 
was punished by his father at night said, "Gee, Dad, 
why did you have to beat me like this?" The father 
had a difficult time explaining why he now pun- 
ished the child for something done earlier and with 
which the father had no connection. Most children 
do not resent punishment for wrongs committed if 
the punishment is administered fairly, and they 



know why they are being punished. But wrong pun- 
ishment can create resentment, dislike, and some- 
times hatred toward a parent. Yet children need 
discipline, and it should be part of their training 
for life. The scriptures admonish: 

Reproving betimes with sharpness, when moved 
upon by the Holy Ghost; and then showing forth 
afterwards an increase of love toward him whom 
thou hast reproved, lest he esteem thee to be his 
enemy. (Doctrine and Covenants 121:43.) 

We should keep in mind that correction and pun- 
ishment are only one phase of training. Children, 
as well as adults, like recognition for work well done. 
All too often we neglect to praise children for their 
good works and to express approval and thanks 
when proper. This can be one of the greatest sources 
of encouragement for right doing. When we fail to 
recognize good acts, we discourage children rather 
than create in them a desire to continue to do the 
proper things. Some children can be easily dis- 
couraged when pleasant recognition is not given and 
say, "What's the use? I can't please her, anyway!" 

Are We Teaching Responsibility? 

Perhaps one of the most important things to 
keep in mind in rearing children is that of teaching 
them to be responsible for their own acts. Too many 
of us are over-protective and over-indulgent toward 
our children. We say that a child reaches the age 
of accountability when he is 8 years old. (Doctrine 
and Covenants 68:27.) But how much have we 
taught him about responsibility and accountability 
at that age, or even at the age of maturity? I believe 
we should teach children to be accountable for their 
behavior and face the consequences and responsi- 
bilities for wrongdoing. If they injure others or 
damage property, they should be helped to make 
amends and restitution. This would help to de- 
crease the wanton destruction of property and ma- 
licious injury to others. We must make some drastic 
changes in the training of our youth to prevent the 
vandalism resulting in hundreds and thousands of 
dollars in destruction to both public and private 
property and malicious physical injury to our citi- 
zens. We should emphasize the observance of an- 
other of our Articles of Faith: "We believe in being 
honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in 
doing good to all men. . . ." 

The opportunities of parenthood are many and 
great, and the Lord entrusts His choice spirits to 
our care for training to maturity. We must train, 
encourage, inspire, and direct them to become the 
kind of adults of whom we can be proud, and who 
will be acceptable to our Heavenly Father. Con- 
sistency in our dealing with children is a must in 
obtaining the desired results. 



Library File Reference: Children. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



453 



Blessings and Responsibilities 
of a Covenant People 



by Rose Marie Reid* 

Lessons in Patriarchs of the Old Testament have 
made us acquainted with those great men of old — 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The reward for the 
righteousness of those men was to come to them 
through their children. The Israelites are the de- 
scendants of Jacob's twelve sons. 



Many people have not studied the Gospel from 
the standpoint which, in my opinion, is the most 
exciting of all — the gathering of Israel. If we do 
not understand this, we miss the completeness of 
God's plan for this earth's inhabitants. When we 
see and talk of the Word of Wisdom, temple mar- 
riage, the Welfare plan, we are "seeing in part" 
only. To see the whole, we need to know God's 
plan for Israel. 

How important is this knowledge to our own 
salvation? The Prophet Joseph Smith made it the 
subject of a letter to Orson Hyde and John E. Page 
when they were called on a mission to Palestine 
in May, 1840: 

. . . Those engaged in seeking the outcasts of 
Israel, and the dispersed of Judah, cannot fail to 
enjoy the Spirit of the Lord and have the choicest 
blessings of heaven rest upon them. . . . Brethren, 
you are in the pathway to eternal fame, and im- 
mortal glory; and inasmuch as you feel interested 
for the covenant people of the Lord, the God of 
their fathers shall bless you. Do not be discouraged 
on account of the greatness of the work; only be 
humble and faithful. . . . He who scattered Israel 
has promised to gather them; and therefore, inas- 
much as you are to be instrumental in this great 
work, He will endow you with power, wisdom, 
might, and intelligence, and every qualification nec- 
essary while your minds will expand wider and 
wider. . . . 1 

Are not people today as beloved of God as the 
twelve tribes of Israel who were led by Moses out 
of Egypt? Yes! Then we need prophets to tell 
the plans of God for our day, to call us to partici- 
pate in the latter-day gathering of Israel. 

Who were the people in bondage in Egypt? Many 
believe they were the Jewish people alone, the tribe 
of Judah. However, that is incorrect; all twelve 
tribes of Israel were there, including our forefathers 



of the lineage of Joseph. All were led out of Egypt 
by Moses. 

To whom was the Lord speaking when He 
called a certain "few" people the "chosen people"? 
To Judah and his tribe alone, or to all Israel? The 
famous "chosen people" passage in the Bible was 
given at the end of 40 years traveling in the wilder- 
ness. Then the Lord told Israel who they were 
and why He had saved them: 

For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy 
God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a 
special people unto himself, above all people that 
are upon the face of the earth. 

The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor 
choose you, because ye were more in number than 
any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 

But because the Lord loved you, and because 
he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto 
your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with 
a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house 
of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 
(Deuteronomy 7:6-8.) 

Now let us consider an analogy: A business or- 
ganization requires a small group of people to be 
"above" all the other people in the organization — 
the executive staff. What is the duty of an execu- 
tive staff? When I asked the missionary committee 
that question, Elder Joseph Fielding Smith an- 
swered, "Why, to see that the business runs the way 
the owner desires, to be responsible for carrying on 
the business even for the benefit of the others in 
the organization." Can a business get along with- 
out an executive staff? No! God's business is the 
management of this whole world and all the people 
in it. He, too, needs an executive staff. 

Then perhaps this is what He meant when He 
said, "Thou art an holy people. . . ." Holy means 



(For Course 26, lessons of January 2 and 9, "Prophecy and the 
Prophets"; and of general interest.) 

^Documentary History of the Church, Volume 4, page 128. 



♦Under direction of Elder LeGrand Richards, Rose Marie Reid 
wrote missionary lessons designed to teach the Gospel to the Jewish 
people. She has been a stake missionary for years. She has three 
children. Her nine grandchildren are seventh generation members 
of the Church. Sister Reid was born in Cardston, Alberta, Canada. 
She has gained international fame as a sportswear designer and has 
earned many design awards. 



454 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



of God, doesn't it? "The Lord thy God hath chosen 
thee to be a special people unto himself above all 
the people that are upon the face of the earth" — 
God's executive staff. A small group of people to 
be the custodians of the knowledge of the true God 
and His plans to take that knowledge to the rest 
of the world. Through Israel, all the nations of 
the earth are to be blessed. 

What does "blessed" mean? Would you not 
say that if you are blessed things are better for you 
than if you are not blessed? So, because of Israel, 
things are to be better for all the nations of the 
earth. 

When Israel finally reached their own land, that 
land given to Abraham by God for his righteous 
descendants for all time, one would expect God to 
keep them there. Yet when Solomon's son, Reho- 
boam, was king, a very important thing happened. 
Led by Jeroboam, the people in the north of Israel 
rebelled against the king and divided the nation, 
leaving mainly Judah and a part of Benjamin in 
the south. Rehoboam at once gathered an army to 
put down that rebellion, but the word of the Lord 
came to Shemaiah, the prophet, telling him to stop 
the king, "For this thing is from me." This division 
was part of God's plan. 

Years later the Assyrians took the Northern 
Kingdom into captivity, and that part of Israel 
was subsequently lost to history, being sifted among 
the nations. (Amos 9:9.) They are referred to as 
the lost Ten Tribes. Judah was likewise dispersed, 
and today we find Jewish people in a great many 
of the nations. 

Has Israel been a blessing to these nations? The 
indications are that both Ephraim and Judah have 
made conspicuous contributions to the arts and 
sciences, and certainly Ephraim at least has played 
his part in the active life of exploration, coloniza- 
tion, and government. 

We are now gathering the children of Abraham 
who have come through the loins of Joseph and his 
sons, more especially through Ephraim, whose chil- 
dren are mixed among all the nations of the earth. 
The sons of Ephraim are wild and uncultivated, un- 
ruly, ungovernable. The spirit in them is turbulent 
and resolute; they are the Anglo-Saxon race, and 
they are upon the face of the whole earth, bearing 
the spirit of rule and dictation, to go forth from 
conquering to conquer. They search wide creation 
and scan every nook and corner of this earth to 
find out what is upon and within it. I see a con- 
gregation of them before me today. No hardship 
will discourage these men; they will penetrate the 
deepest wilds and overcome almost insurmountable 
difficulties to develop the treasures of the earth, to 
further their indomitable spirit for adventure. 11 

From the inception of this last dispensation the 



discourses of Brigham Young, selected and arranged by John 
A. Widtsoe; Deseret Book Company, Salt Lake City, Utah, 1925; 
page 670. 



call has been to preach the Gospel to every nation. 
And who would be the first to accept the Gospel? 
The descendants of Ephraim, the son of Joseph of 
Egypt. Taking their rightful place as the leaders 
in God's latter-day cause, these Ephraimites are 
helping to fulfil the promise made to their father 
Abraham: 

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse 
them that curse thee; and in thee (that is, in thy 
Priesthood) and in thy seed (that is, thy Priest- 
hood), for I give unto thee a promise that this 
right shall continue in thee, and in thy seed after 
thee (that is to say, the literal seed, or the seed of 
the body) shall all the families of the earth be 
blessed, even with the blessings of the Gospel, which 
are the blessings of salvation, even of life eternal. 
(Abraham 2:11.) 

Many people of the Church know the prophecy 
which says Judah will accept Christ when they see 
Him. However, prophecies say also that "when they 
no longer turn their hearts away" we can begin to 
teach them. Many commandments indicate this. 

Therefore, renounce war and proclaim peace, and 
seek diligently to turn the hearts of the children to 
their fathers and the hearts of the fathers to the 
children; 

And again, the hearts of the Jews unto the proph- 
ets, and the prophets unto the Jews; lest I come and 
smite the whole earth with a curse, and all flesh be 
consumed before me. (Doctrine and Covenants 98: 
16-17.) 

In the Lord's preface to the Book of Mormon we 
are told the purpose of the book: ". . . and also to 
the convincing of the Jew and the Gentile that 
Jesus is the Christ. . . ." The Book of Mormon 
makes clear that we should be grateful to the Jewish 
people for the Bible, and that they also are to be 
taught the Gospel of Christ: 

And because my words shall hiss forth — many 
of the Gentiles shall say: A Bible! A Bible! We 
have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more 
Bible. 

But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall 
have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the 
Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what 
thank they the Jews for the Bible which they re- 
ceive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? 
Do they remember the travels, and the labors, and 
the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, 
in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles? 

O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, 
mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have 
cursed them, and have hated them, and have not 
sought to recover them. But behold, I will return 
all these things upon your own heads; for I the 
Lord have not forgotten my people. 

Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a 
Bible, and we need no more Bible. Have ye ob- 
tained a Bible save it were by the Jews? (2 Nephi 
29:3-6.) 

Library File Reference: Israel. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



455 



by Aldon J. Anderson* 



JEHOVAH'S PLAN 

OF FREEDOM- 
LUCIFER'S PLAN 
OF CONTROL 




Art by Dale Kilbourn. 



Spending two weeks in the county jail had been 
the most unnerving experience Larry Greene had 
ever had. Always before he had been bailed out 
of trouble by his father. But father and home were 
thousands of miles away in the east, and this was 
Salt Lake City, Utah, where he was without friends 
or acquaintances. As for his parents, he had vowed 
not to contact them. So he was really alone. 

Larry's father was a professor of astronomy in 
one of the major universities of the nation, and yet 
he had no idea, Larry thought, of the real meaning 
of freedom. To be sure he had been pleased with 
Larry's brilliant, first-year grade score in college, 
but he had very little sympathy with Larry's resolve 
to live his own life, to experience things for him- 
self. He hadn't liked his son's drinking companions 
and the parties they held. It was one such party 
that had first gotten him in trouble with the law 
on a bad check charge in his home state. When a 
subsequent party saw him involved in another check 
offense, he and one of his friends had taken off for 
the west and adventure. What a time they had! 
They must have averaged $800.00 a week writing 
bad checks, Larry mused. They had lived at the 
finest motels and hotels, eaten at the swankiest 
restaurants and "lived it up" at the night spots. 
He had really felt free. 

The sharp rap of the judge's gavel brought him 
back to the present. He was standing in the high- 
ceilinged court with his attorney, James Robinson, 
before a very stern-faced judge. "Is there any legal 
reason why sentence should not now be imposed?" 
queried the judge. 

"No, your honor," said Mr. Robinson, "but we 
would like to make a statement to the court to 
supplement the probation report in hopes you will 
see fit to place him on probation." 

"You may proceed," the judge said. 

When the attorney had finished describing the 
many very positive factors in his background and 
education, Larry felt his confidence return. He asked 
for a chance to speak for himself. His natural skills 
and training had their effect. Good appearance, su- 
perb control of language and excellent sense of 



"It appears to the court you need to learn that 
your freedom ends where the freedom of others 
begins. You are herewith sentenced to prison for 
the indeterminate term provided by the law." 



(For Course 10, lesson of January 9, "War in Heaven"; for 

Course 18, lesson of January 23, "Resolution"; to support Family 
Home Evening lessons 27 and 44: and of general interest.) 

*As a District Judge for the Third District, State of Utah, and as 
former counselor in the East Mill Creek Stake Presidency, Aldon J. 
Anderson sees daily that the laws of both God and man provide for 
each act a natural judgment. He is currently a member of the task 
committee of the Adult Correlation Committee of the Church. From 
the act of his attendance at the University of Utah came the hard- 
earned judgments of a B.A. degree in 1937 and and LL.B. in 1943. 
Between those events he served two years as a missionary in Great 
Britain. Brother Anderson married Virginia Weilenmann, and they 
have seven children. 



456 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



rhetoric soon brought an expectant hush over the 
courtroom. He knew he had scored with them. 

"Young man," the judge said firmly, "it is true 
that your background is excellent. But you have 
already failed on probation. You have not earned 
the further trust and confidence of this court. In 
fact, your conduct is such that it appears to the 
court you need to learn that your freedom ends 
where the freedom of others begins. You are here- 
with sentenced to the Utah State Prison for the 
indeterminate term as provided by law." 

Larry stood numbed as his attorney nudged him 
and started him back to his seat. "Please see me," 
he whispered to Mr. Robinson, "before they send 
me out." Mr. Robinson nodded in the affirmative. 

Separated from Mr. Robinson by the heavy wire 
mesh in the interview cubicle, Larry finally found 
his voice and humbly said, "Mr. Robinson, what 
did the judge mean when he said that my freedom 
ends where the freedom of others begins?" 

Jim Robinson recognized the signs; he had seen 
them so often in the mission field. This young man 
was finally hungry for answers — answers that some- 
how, with all of his advantages, he had never had. 
Jim warmed to the task as he said, "The judge 
meant that when the actions of one person infringe 
upon the rights and freedoms of others, the individ- 
ual becomes accountable to the group for what he 
has done. Were this not so, the group could not 
guarantee that any individual would have freedom 
to act. In this sense, obedience to law is the very 
basis of the freedoms guaranteed by the constitution. 

"All these months that you have spent in high 
living have been at the expense of the rights of 
others. The judge decided you need imprisonment 
to impress upon your mind the lesson, among others, 
that we are held accountable for the way we use our 
freedom. 

"From long acquaintance with the judge, I know 
it is his personal philosophy that God gave to every 
individual the capacity to exercise his free agency 
in obeying or disobeying the physical, temporal, and 
civil laws to which men are subject in this life. There 
is, however, an inevitable result of the exercise of 
this privilege of choice. It is that the violation of 
law subjects the violator to the effects of such, 
whether in the nature of detriment or penalty. Spi- 
ritually, a man who violates moral law, though he 
may escape judgment in this life, nevertheless will 
be judged in the life to come. For those who obey 



the law there are consequent benefits and blessings 
which cannot be denied them. 

"In this sense, then, a man who makes a habit 
of obeying laws, whether natural, civil, or spiritual, 
is the only person who is truly free. It is the person 
who violates the law who fears it, for it subjects 
him to the restrictions and punishment provided. 
Just as you, Larry, fear your punishment. 

"It is the belief of The Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-day Saints, that Jehovah, the God of this 
world, has made man subject to the circumstances 
of good and evil in this world as a necessary condi- 
tion to his exercise of the right of free choice. Those 
who choose well and thus progress will qualify to 
return to the presence of God, and will thus be- 
come like Him, having proved themselves, perhaps, 
to become Gods in their own right. No one, cer- 
tainly, who hopes to become like God, can do so if 
he has to be forced to make the right choices. This 
is Jehovah's plan of freedom." 

"You mention evil," Larry questioned, "as 
though there were an actual force contending for 
the souls of men. Is this part of your belief?" 

"Exactly," Jim answered. "Many people are 
under the misapprehension that freedom is found 
only in breaking moral law, forgetting that it is in 
the violation that one becomes the subject of the 
inevitable penalty. Lucifer, you may remember 
from your Bible reading, was going to force all men 
to obey. For this reason, and because he wanted all 
the glory, he was exiled from heaven with his 
followers. Ever since that time he has been de- 
termined to persuade men to choose evil, for thus 
they would come under his control and dominion. 
In this way he hopes to obstruct the plan of the 
Father by destroying the souls of men. So, while 
men are free to choose good or evil, what they 
choose will have an everlasting effect upon them." 

"Mr. Robinson," Larry quietly said, "you will 
never know how much this has meant to me. I can 
see now that I am in this predicament because of 
choices I have made. It is no one else's fault but my 
own. I believe I can undergo this experience of 
imprisonment now, realizing that paying for mis- 
takes is part of the plan. If it sets me on the right 
track, perhaps with a generous application of the 
principle of repentance I can start moving in the 
right direction, towards freedom and exaltation, in- 
stead of evil and damnation." 

Library File Reference: Freedom. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



457 



A Promise and 
Its Fulfillment 

by Melvin R. Ballard* 

In 1884, while instructing the ordinance workers 
in Logan for the dedication of the Logan Temple, 
Zebedee Coltrin, a patriarch, was a guest in the 
home of my grandfather, Bishop Henry Ballard. 
During this visit my father, Melvin Joseph Ballard, 
then a boy of eleven years of age, became intrigued 
with the patriarch's accounts of his personal associa- 
tion with the Prophet Joseph Smith; and the boy 
encouraged the patriarch to relate these experiences. 
My father shined the patriarch's shoes, ran errands, 
and rendered other services for him. At the conclu- 
sion of the patriarch's visit to Logan, he gave my 
father a patriarchal blessing, part of which is as 
follows: 

"Inasmuch as thou wilt keep all the command- 
ments of the Lord thou shalt attain to all the bless- 
ings of eternal exaltation, and the choice blessings 
of the heavens shall rest down upon you and the 
light of the Lord shall dwell within you, and every 
organ of your body shall be filled with the inspira- 
tion of the Lord. Thou shalt go forth in the midst 
of the nations of the earth proclaiming the Gospel 
of the Son of God; and thou shalt proclaim the 
Gospel unto the seed of Manasseh and shall do 
many mighty miracles in the midst of the Lord. The 
Lord has raised thee up to become a mighty man 
in proclaiming the Gospel of the Son of God; and 
thou shalt become a mighty prophet in the midst of 
the Zion of the Lord, and the angels of the Lord 
shall administer unto thee and converse with thee 
face to face. Thou shalt be wrapped in the vision 
of the heavens and clothed with salvation as with 
a garment. The eye of the Lord has been over thee 
from the day of thy birth, and the angels have re- 
joiced over thee, because of the mighty power of 
God that shall be given unto thee. The angels of the 
Lord shall be thy daily companions, for thou art 
destined to do a great work upon the earth, and 
thou shalt behold the Lord, when He shall come in 




(For Course 7, lesson of December 26, "Our General Authorities"; 
for Course 9, lesson of December 5, "A Leader Is Righteous"; for 
Course 11, lessons of December 5 and 12, "Expansion of Mormon- 
ism"; for Course 15, lesson of December 12, "Moroni's Farewell"; 
for Course 18, lesson of January 16, "Opportunity"; for Family Home 
Evening lessons 33-36; and of general interest.) 

*Melvin Russell Ballard, oldest son of the late Elder Melvin J. 
Ballard, of the Council of the Twelve, has filled many assignments in 
the Church, including that of missionary in the Northwestern States 
a member of the presidency of his high priests' group, Ensign 5th 
Ward, Ensign (Utah) Stake. As a missionary and conference presi- 
dent in 1917, he inaugurated Church work at Camp Lewis, Wash- 
ington. In 1918, he became an army officer and conducted Student 
Army Training at Brigham Young University. His wife is the former 
Geraldine Smith, and they are parents of four children. 



the clouds of heaven with all His angels 
with Him, for thou shalt attain to all 
that truth once delivered to the Saints." 

At the age of 36, having filled two 
missions for the Church, my father was 
called to preside over the northwestern 
area of Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Wash- 
ton, British Columbia, and Alaska. I quote 
from Father's diary: 

"July 15, 1913: Arrived at Poplar, Montana. 
On the Fort Peck reservation a great gathering of 
Indians had been arranged for today and for several 
days following. Some of the Indians had been con- 
verted and manifested very great faith. On this 
occasion I administered to a good many of them 
who had remarkable faith and received very great 
blessings. One of these Indians declared that he 
had seen me in a dream bringing the only true Gos- 
pel, and he was much moved while shaking hands 
with me. He was afterwards baptized. There were 
nearly a thousand Indians present at this celebra- 
tion, living in about two hundred tents. 

"At 4:00 p.m. today, I spoke to between three 
and four hundred Indians who had gathered to listen 
to our story, telling them, through an interpreter, 
Brother Nimrod Davis, of their forefathers and the 
Book of Mormon. It was a new message to them, 
and they paid most respectful attention." 

"May 14, 1917: Met with our branch at Wolf 
Point among the Indians in Montana. We had some 
difficulty in satisfying some of these Indians. They 
all wanted to be ordained priests. We had to ordain 
some of them deacons, some teachers, and some 
priests. Many problems arose and caused us great 
anxiety. We sought the Lord earnestly that we 
might have wisdom and light to know what to do 
concerning these problems. It was this night that 
I received a very unusual manifestation. In the 
dream or vision of the night I was carried to the 
Salt Lake Temple where I had a glorious manifesta- 
tion of the Savior." 

Elder and Sister John 0. Simonsen, a young 
married couple, were later called to be missionaries 
to the Indians at Fort Peck. I quote Elder Simon- 
sen's account: 

"The older Indians told us, on several occasions, 
the story of their first meeting with Elder Ballard. 
They said that one day Elder Ballard was traveling 
east across Montana by train. As the train ap- 
proached a very small town which was just being 
settled, Elder Ballard noticed, from the train win- 
dow, a huge encampment of several hundred In- 
dians. Their teepees were pitched in a large circle 



458 



THE INSTRUCTOR 




'{IH 



Art by Dale Kilbourn. 

on the prairie. Elder Ballard was instantly inter- 
ested and felt a keen urge to visit with them. He 
obtained stopover privileges and left the train to 
spend the day at the encampment, with the inten- 
tion of proceeding on his journey the next day. He 
hired a horse and buggy, secured an interpreter, 
and drove out to the Indian encampment at a place 
called 'Chicken Hill,' on the banks of the Missouri 
River. (Missouri is an Indian word meaning muddy.) 

"Elder Ballard left the horse and buggy and with 
the interpreter walked out among the people. As 
he approached them, they showed signs of great 
emotion and began talking excitedly to him. They 
seemed to be asking him for something. The inter- 
preter explained that many of the Indians had seen, 
in dreams, a white man come among them. Always 
he had had his arms laden with books which were 
of great value to them. They had seen the man 
distribute the books and teach the Indians from 
its contents. As soon as they saw Elder Ballard, 
they recognized him as the man they had seen in 
their dreams and they wanted the books he was 
supposed to bring to them. 

"Of course, Elder Ballard was exceedingly im- 
pressed and told them briefly the story of the Book 
of Mormon and of its significance to them. He told 
them he must go on his way now, but that he would 
return soon to bring them the books and teach 
them more. 

"When Elder Ballard returned to the town he 
felt impressed to buy two lots in the newly-laid-out 
town, which he obtained for a very low price. When 
he returned a short time later the lots had sky- 
rocketed in price to such a figure that he was able 
to sell them at a tremendous profit. The money 
thus obtained was used to buy building materials 
and some acreage further out of the town, in fact, 
at 'Chicken Hill' There a boarding school and a 
chapel were built, and the Lamanites were given 



their Book of Mormon and were taught the Gospel, 
as well as general school work. Many of the Indians 
joined the Church there, and today their descend- 
ants and many others are firm in the faith. Great 
spiritual manifestations occurred in this particular 
place, as the writings of Elder Ballard relate. Many 
were the healings, and many the spiritual gifts that 
were made manifest among the Indians because of 
the faith Elder Ballard instilled into them. 

"One such instance was told to us by an Indian 
called 'Looking.' He was a young boy when Brother 
Ballard came among his people, and he had been 
blind since birth. When he heard that there was a 
'Mormon Prayer Man' (as the Indians called the 
missionaries) on the reservation, he begged to be 
taken to Elder Ballard that he might be blessed to 
to receive his sight. Elder Ballard administered to 
him, and through the power of the priesthood and 
the child's simple, sincere faith, his sight was restored 
and he was appropriately given the name of 'Look- 
ing.' In gratitude, Looking insisted on giving the 
hay from his small field each year to help feed 
the Church livestock at Chicken Hill. 

"One reason for their great love for this excep- 
tional man was that he visited with them in their 
simple, little log huts without pride or pretence. He 
would drop in on a family and say, 'Now Sister 
Black Dog, don't you put on any special fuss for me. 
(As if they could, with their very primitive living 
conditions.) We will just sit here on the floor and 
visit together and eat whatever you have ready.' 
To hear them tell of this great man visiting with 
them in their humble abodes and eating their simple 
and sometimes strange food, and to see their eyes 
light up with love when telling about it, was inspir- 
ing to us." 

My father, together with Elders Rulon S. Wells 
and Rey L. Pratt, was called to open the missions 
of the Church in South and Central America. Again 
he rendered a service to the descendants of Lehi 
and the Lamanites. I quote part of his dedicatory 
prayer, given at 7:00 a.m. Christmas morning, 1925, 
in the Park 3 de Febero at Buenos Aires, Argentina: 

"We are thankful that we are the bearers of these 
glad tidings to the peoples of the South American 
nations, and we also pray that we may see the be- 
ginning of the fulfillment of the promises contained 
in the Book of Mormon to the Indians of this land, 
who are descendants of Lehi, millions of whom 
reside in this country, who have long been down- 
trodden and borne many afflictions and suffered be- 
cause of sin and transgression, even as the prophets 
of the Book of Mormon did foretell. 

"Thou didst inspire these prophets to promise 
their descendants that Thou wouldst bring forth in 
(Concluded on following page.) 



NOVEMBER 1965 



459 



A PROMISE AND ITS FULFILLMENT (Concluded from preceding page.) 



the latter day, the records of their fathers, and that 
when this record was presented to their children, 
they would begin to believe and repent and accept 
Thy Gospel; and when they would do this, Thy favor 
would return unto them, and then Thou wouldst 
remember the promise made to their fathers, that if 
their descendants would repent and receive the Gos- 
pel, they would begin to be prospered and blessed 
on the land and would again become a white and a 
delightsome people. . . . 

"And now, oh, Father, by authority of the bless- 
ing and appointment by the President of the Church, 
and by the authority of the holy apostleship which 
I have, I turn the key, unlock, and open the door 
for the preaching of the Gospel in all these South 
American nations, and do rebuke and command to 
be stayed every power that would oppose the preach- 
ing of the Gospel in these lands; and we do bless 
and dedicate these nations of this land for the 
preaching of Thy Gospel. And we do all this that 
salvation may come to all men, and that Thy name 
may be honored and glorified in this part of the 
land of Zion." 

Elder Vernon Sharp, who joined my father as 
one of the first missionaries to assist in opening the 
South American mission, records the following 
prophecy made by my father at a testimony meet- 
ing on July 4, 1926, at Buenos Aires, Argentina: 

"The work of the 'Lord will grow slowly for a 
time here just as an oak grows slowly from an acorn. 
It will not shoot up in a day as does the sunflower 
that grows quickly and then dies. But thousands 
will join the Church here. It will be divided into 
more than one mission and will be one of the strong- 
est in the Church. The work here is the smallest 
that it will ever be. The day will come when the 
Lamanites in this land will be given a chance. The 
South American Mission will be a power in the 
Church." 

At the time of his ordination to the apostleship 
on Jan. 7, 19 19, 1 my father's words in the Salt 
Lake Temple, at a meeting of The First Presidency 
and the Council of the Twelve, have been cherished 
as a sacred testimony by his family and are now 
given, in part, as further evidence of how the 
promises of the Lord find fulfillment: 

"I have not aspired, nor coveted, a position of 
this character; but from my childhood I have de- 
sired to work in the service of the Lord, and have 
not waited for place or position to give my services. 
I am just as willing today to labor as an elder in a 
branch or a ward, as in any other calling, if that is 
where the Lord wants me. And if He wants me here, 



I am willing to say, as I have often sung — 'I'll go 
where you want me to go'; and I'll be what the 
Lord wants me to be. 

"I know, as I know that I live, that this is God's 
work and that you are His servants. I have no 
more doubt about it than I have that I exist. I 
remember one little testimony, among the many 
testimonies which I have received. You will pardon 
me for referring to it. Two years ago, about this 
time, I had been on the Fort Peck Indian Reserva- 
tion for several days, with the brethren, solving the 
problems connected with our work among the Lam- 
anites. Many questions arose that we had to settle. 
There was no precedent for us to follow; and we 
just had to go to the Lord and tell him our troubles 
and get inspiration and help from Him. On this 
occasion I had sought the Lord, under such circum- 
stances, and that night I received a wonderful man- 
isfestation and an impression which has never left 
me. I was carried to this place — into this room. I 
saw myself here with you. I was told there was one 
other privilege that was mine; and I was led into 
a room where I was informed I was to meet some- 
one. As I entered the room I saw, seated on a 
raised platform, the most glorious Being I have ever 
conceived of, and was taken forward to be intro- 
duced to Him. As I approached, He smiled, called 
my name, and stretched out His hands towards me. 
If I live to be a million years old, I shall never for- 
get that smile. He put His arms around me and 
kissed me, as He took me into His bosom; and He 
blest me until my whole being was thrilled. As He 
finished I fell at His feet, and there saw the marks 
of the nails; and as I kissed them, with deep joy 
swelling through my whole being, I felt that I was 
in Heaven, indeed. The feeling that came to my 
heart then was: "Oh! if I could live worthy, though 
it would require fourscore years, so that in the end, 
when I have finished, I could go into His presence 
and receive the feeling that I then had in His pres- 
ence, I would give everything that I am and ever 
hope to be!' 

"I know — as I know that I live — that He lives. 
That is my testimony. And having that kind of 
feeling and testimony, I accept with humility, and 
yet with deep thankfulness and gratitude to God, 
this honor; for I esteem it the highest honor that 
could be given to a man, to be a special witness of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope you will be patient 
with me, and I shall do my best to come up to all 
the requirements the Lord will make at my hands." 



lElder Ballard died July 30, 1939. 



Library File Reference: Ballard, Melvin J. 



460 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



A 

Family 
gins 

With 

Love 

by Goldie B. Despain 





A family begins with love and a father 

and a mother and a baby. 

Because of love Mother bathes and dresses the baby. 

She feeds and rocks him, and he grows. 

Because of love Father works and buys Mother 

and baby a house to live in and clothing 

to wear and food to eat. 

Because of love Mother changes the house into 

a home, with her work and cheerfulness. 

Some fathers and mothers have many children; 

Some have one or two. 

Regardless of numbers, family members share 

a special love for one another. 

Our family learns many things because love is a 

teacher. 

Because of love our family has security. 

There is always someone to share our secrets 

and troubles. 

There is always someone to be a friend and 

understand. 

Because of love, members of our family always 

have an audience — 

There is someone to clap and cheer us on. 

Because of love our family has sanctuary from 

weariness and hurts. 

Everyone is cared for when ill, 

Cooled and soothed when feverish, 

Tucked into rest when tired, 

And all find compassion and healing. 

Because of love our family has satisfactions. 
Each one respects the other. 
We share work and praise. 
We receive comfort when sad 



(For Course 1, lessons of January 2-30, "I Am in the Family," 
"Mother Is in the Family," "Father Is in the Family," Our Baby Is 
in the Family," "Brothers and Sisters Are in the Family"; for Course 
2, lessons of February 13 and 20, "Family in This World Is Part of 
Lord's Plan," "Family Members Work Together in the Home"; for 
Course 4, lesson of February 20, "Being a Good Family Member.") 



Photo by H. Armstrong Roberts. 

and companions to laugh with when happy. 
Because of love our family has discipline. 
We learn to control tempers and speak politely. 
Father and Mother are patient and fair. 
We learn to be obedient. 

Because of love our family has fun and adventure. 

Together we watch the birds and learn their 

names and habits. 

We study the pictures and words in books, 

We learn about the bees and the sharks, 

the sun and the stars. 

Our family goes camping. We pitch our tent and 

look for helgramites under logs at the water's edge. 

We use these for bait to fish. 

Our family hunts for red and green, blue and 

yellow rocks. 

Because of love we are proud of the country 

in which we live. 

We are thankful we live in a choice land. 

Because of love, our family sustains the law and 

honors the flag. 

Because of love, our family serves God. 

We study about Him and worship on the Sabbath 

together. 

At home our family kneels and prays together. 

A family is the most important thing in the world. 

Because of love, a family is strong. 

A family can grow into a city. 

Every country in the world has lots and lots of 

families. 

Therefore there is lots and lots of love in every 

country. 

Even the world began with love and a father 

and a mother and a baby. 

I belong to a family, 

And a family begins with love. 



Library File Reference: Family Life. 



NOVEMBER 1965 



461 



Titles and Dates of Sunday School Lessons by Courses 

1st Quarter, 1966 



COURSE OF 
STUDY- 1965 


Course No. 1: 

A Gospel 

of Love 


Course No. la: 

Beginnings of 

Religious Praise 


Course No. 3: 

Growing in 

the Gospel 

Part II 


Course No. 5: 

Living Our 
Religion, Part II 


Course No. 7: 

History of the 

Church for 

Children 


Course No. 9: 

Scripture Lessons 

in Leadership 


t 

COURSE OF 
STUDY-1966 


Course No. 1: 

A Gospel 

of Love 


Course No. 2: 

Growing in 

the Gospel 

Part 1 


Course No. 4: 

Living Our 

Religion, 

Part 1 


Course No. 6: 
What It Means 

to Be a 
Latter-day Saint 


t 

Course No. 8: 

Old Testament 

Stories 


t 

Course No. 10: 
The Life 
of Christ 


APPROXIMATE 
AGES-1966 


Nursery 
3 


Kindergarten 
4, 5 


Primary 
6, 7 


8, 9 


10, 11 


12, 13 


Date of Lesson 
JANUARY 2 


1 Am in the 

Family 

0) 


Heavenly Father's 

Family 

(1) 


We Go to 

Church to 

Worship God 

(1) 


What Is a 

Latter-day Saint? 

(1) 


Our Earth 
(1) 


The Great Plan 
(1) 


JANUARY 9 


Mother Is in 

the Family 

(2) 


The Lord Created 

Our Earth 

(2) 


Chapels 

Are Built 

(2) 


Baptism, a 

Requirement for 

Membership 

(2) 


The First 

Earth Home 

(2) 


War in Heaven 
(2) 


JANUARY 16 


Father Is in 

the Family 

(3) 


Adam Named 

the Animals 

(3) 


Other Places 

of Worship 

(3) 


The Power of 

Faith 

(3) 


The First Family 
(3) 


The Plan Begins 

to Unfold 

(3) 


JANUARY 23 


Our Baby Is in 

the Family 

(4) 


We Will Live 

in Another World 

(4) 


Tabernacles 

Are Places 

of Worship (4) 


Repentance 

Makes Us Strong 

(4) 


A Contrast: an 

Ark and a Tower 

Are Built (4) 


Two Great 

Messages 

(4) 


JANUARY 30 


Brothers and 
Sisters Are in 
the Family (5) 


Jesus Is 

Our Leader 

(5) 


The Temple Is 

a Special Place 

(5) 


There Are Three 

Members of the 

Godhead (5) 


Abraham, the 

Faithful 

(5) 


A Command 

from Rome 

(5) 


FEBRUARY 6 


Grandfather and 
Grandmother Are 
in the Family (6) 


Jesus Will 

Live Forever 

(6) 


Be Happy, 

Kind and 

Forgiving (6) 


The Gospel 

Restored and the 

Church Organized 

(6) 


The Selfishness 

of Lot 

(6) 


When Shepherds 
Watched Their 
Flocks (6) 


FEBRUARY 13 


Jesus Had 

a Family 

(7) 


Family in This 

World Is Part of 

Lord's Plan 

(7) 


Sharing 

Our Talents 

(7) 


Great Gifts of 

the Gospel 

(7) 


The Child 

of Promise 

(7) 


Wise Men 

of the East 

(7) 


FEBRUARY 20 


Love Is in 

Our Home 

(8) 


Family Members 
Work Together 
in the Home (8) 


Being a Good 

Family Member 

(8) 


The Gospel 
— a Plan For 
Right Living 

(8) 


The Bride from 

Haran 

(8) 


First Visit to 

the Temple 

(8) 


FEBRUARY 27 


We Work 
Together in 
Our Home 

(9) 


Heavenly Father 
Planned for 
Families to 

Pray Together (9) 


Church Activities 

Make Us Happy 

(9) 


A Latter-day 

Saint Keeps the 

Sabbath Day 

Holy (9) 


A Man of Peace 
(9) 


A Warning 

in the Night 

(9) 


MARCH 6 


We Pray 

Together in 

Our Home 

(10) 


Heavenly Father 
Planned for 
Families to 

Pay Tithing (10) 


Family Finds 

Joy in Gospel 

Understanding 

(10) 


Fast Day — a 

Special Day 

for Latter-day 

Saints (10) 


A House Divided 
(10) 


The Boyhood 

of Jesus 

(10) 


MARCH 13 


We Have Fun 

in Our Home 

(11) 


Heavenly Father 
Planned for 
Families to 

Help Others (11) 


Blessings 

Come to 

a Family 

(ID 


A Latter-day 

Saint Pays Tithing 

(11) 


The Beginning 

of Israel 

(11) 


Preparing the Way 

of the Lord 

01) 


MARCH 20 


We Make Our 

Home Beautiful 

(12) 


Heavenly Father 

Planned for 

Families to Observe 

Word of Wisdom 


Love One 

Another 

(12) 


A Latter-day 

Saint Partakes 

of the Sacrament 

(12) 


Joseph among 

His Brethren 

(12) 


Communion 

in the Desert 

(12) 


MARCH 27 


Jesus Had Joy 

in His Family 

(13) 


Heavenly Father 
Planned for Families 
To Help Build Places 

of Worship (13) 


Our Obligation 

to the Family 

(13) 


A Latter-day Saint 

Obeys the 

Word of Wisdom 

(14) 


Joseph in a 

Strange Land 

(13) 


Review 



462 



Numbers in parentheses are manual lesson numbers. 



THE INSTRUCTOR 



Titles and Dates of Sunday School Lessons by Courses 

1st Quarter, 1966 



Course No, 11: 

History of the 

Restored Church 


Course No. 13: 

Principles of the 

Restored Church 

at Work 


Course No, 17: 

An Introduction 

to the Gospel 

Course No. 15: 

Life in 
Ancient America 


Course No. 21: 

Genealogical 

Research— A 

Practical Mission 


Course No. 23: 

Teaching 

the 

Gospel 


Course No. 25: 

Parent 

and Child 


Course No. 27: 

Patriarchs of the 

Old Testament 


Course No. 29: 

A Marvelous Work 

and a Wonder 


Course No. 12: 
The Church of 
Jesus Christ in 
Ancient Times 


Course No. 14: 
The Message 
of the Master 


Course No. 18: 

Christ's Ideals 

for Living 


t 

Course No. 20: 
Genealogical 
Research— A 

Practical Mission 


Course No. 23: 

Teaching 

the 

Gospel 


Course No. 24: 

Parent and 

Youth 


Course No. 26: 

Old Testament 

Prophets 


* 

Course No. 28: 

The Articles 

of Faith 


14, 15 


16, 17 


18, 19, 20, 21 


Genealogical 

Training— Adults 


Pre service 
Teachers- 
Adults 


Family 
Relations- 
Adults 


Gospel Doctrine 
Adults 


Gospel 
Essentials- 
Adults 


Preview 

and Class 

Organization 


Preview 
and Class 

Organization 


Preview 

and Class 

Organization 


Introduction 

to the 

Course and 

Foreword 


Organizing 
Lesson Content 

(15) 


Parenthood 

within the 

Gospel Plan 

(1) 


Prophecy and 

the Prophets 

(1) 


Religion 
(1) 


Why Jesus 

Established 

His Church (1) 


In the Time 

of the 

Herodians (1) 


Good 

Will 

(1) 


Vicarious Work 

for the Dead 

(1) 


Using a Plan 

in Teaching 

(16) 


The Importance 

of Knowing 

the Facts 

(2) 


Prophecy 

(Continued) 

(2) 


The Articles 

of Faith 

(2) 


A Wondrous 

Land 

(2) 


The Gospel 
According 
to Luke (2) 


Opportunity 
(2) 


Purposes To Be 

Served Govern 

Genealogical 

Research (2) 


Extending a 

Lesson beyond 

the Classroom 

(17) 


The Importance 

of Knowing 

the Facts 

(3) 


Elijah the 
Prophet 

(3) 


The Articles 
of Faith 

(Continued) 

(3) 


Palestine 
(3) 


Looking 

toward the 

Light (3) 


Resolution 
(3) 


Family Group 

Sheet and 

Pedigree Chart 

(3) 


Tests Are Aids 

to Learning 

(18) 


Human Nature 

Can Be Improved 

(4) 


Elijah 
(Continued) 

(4) 


The Prophet 

Joseph Smith 

(4) 


Life in 

Palestine 

(4) 


The Nativity 
(4) 


Faith 
(4) 


Family Group 
Sheet and 

Pedigree Chart 

(Continued) 


Know Your 

Class Members 

(19) 


Home Influences 

and Controls 

(5) 


Isaiah, Prophet- 
statesman 
of Israel 

(5) 


The Authenticity 

of Joseph 

Smith's Mission 

(5) 


"Fishers 

of Men" 

(5) 


Jesus, 

Boy of 

Nazareth (5) 


Humility 

(5) 


What Can 

1 Do? 

(4) 


Classroom 

Atmosphere 

and Control (20) 


Review 


Isaiah 
(Continued) 

(6) 


The 

Godhead 

(6) 


In the 

Service of 

the Lord 

(6) 


The Baptism 

of Jesus 

(6) 


Courage 
(6) 


What Can a 

Family 

Association Do? 

(5) 


Teaching to 
Develop Love 

for- the 
Gospel (21) 


The Nature 

of Obedience 

(6) 


Isaiah 
(Continued) 

(7) 


The 
Godhead 

(Continued) 

(7) 


Peter, the 

Man who 

Loved Jesus 

(7) 


The Temptation 

of Jesus 

(7) 


Purity 
(7) 


Learning What 

Has Been Done 

(6) 


Cultivating 

Reverence 

(22) 


Developing 

Obedience 

(7) 


Isaiah 
(Continued) 

(8) 


The 
Godhead 

(Continued) 

(8) 


Peter's 

Fellow 

Disciples 

(8) 


Miracles 

in Galilee 

(8) 


Reverence 
(8) 


Arming with 

Family History 

and Tradition 

(7) 


The 

Church's Plan 

(23) 


The Nature 

of Maturity 

(8) 


Isaiah 
(Continued) 

(9) 


The 

Godhead 

(Continued) 

(9) 


Preparation 

for the 

Ministry 

(9) 


Jesus in 

Jerusalem 

(9) 


Sincerity 
(9) 


Knowledge of 

Local History 

and Geography 

(8) 


Preparation 

for Teaching 

(24) 


Maturity: 

Learning to 

Think of Others 

(9) 


Isaiah 
(Continued) 

(10) 


Free Agency 
(10) 


Fire from 

Heaven 

(10) 


The Call 

and Ministry of 

the Twelve 

(10) 


Temperance 
(10) 


Reading Records 

in Unfamiliar 

Languages 

(9) 


Become 

Gospel Scholars 

(25) 


Review 


Isaiah 

(Continued) 

(ID 


The Fall 
(ID 


Peter 

Proves His 

Worth 

(11) 


The Sermon 
on the 
Mount 

(11) 


Balance 
(11) 


Spelling of 

Names 

Determining 

Dates (10) 


Your 

Stewardship 

(26) 


Ideals Control 

Development 

(10) 


Isaiah 
(Continued) 

(12) 


The Atonement 
(12) 


Review 


The Sermon on 

the Mount 

—Part II 

(12) 


Integrity 

(12) 


Advance 

Measures for 

Notes 

(ID 


Summary and 

Evaluation 

(27) 


Learning Takes 

Time and 

Experience 

(11) 


Review 


The Atonement 

(Continued) 

(13) 



NOVEMBER 1965 



Numbers in parentheses are manual lesson numbers. 



463 



MUSIC 
MAKES 

THE 
HOME 

NIGHT 



Latter-day Saints love music. 
They are a musical people. They 
sing when they work; they sing 
when they play; they sing when 
they worship. Their Pioneers 
crossed the plains with a song on 
their lips and a song in their 
hearts. 

Latter-day Saints agree with 
John Armstrong, the English au- 
thor, who said, "Music exalts every 
joy, allays each grief, expels dis- 
ease, softens every pain, and sub- 
dues rage." 

The Lord said, "For my soul de- 
lighteth in the song of the heart; 
yea, the song of the righteous is a 
prayer unto me, and it shall be 
answered with a blessing upon 
their heads." (Doctrine and Cov- 
enants 25:12.) 

Someone said, "Where there is 
music there is no mischief." For 
example: The Music School Settle- 
ment in the heart of New York 
City's East Side District has pub- 
lished some amazing findings. In 
its more than twenty-five years of 
existence, not one of the thirty 
thousand children enrolled in its 
music studies has ever come before 
a juvenile judge for delinquency. 
Today, 20 years after the first fig- 
ures were released, the school has 
never had a delinquent. 1 

(For Course 29, lesson of November 21, 
"Place of Music in the Church"; of general 
use in Family Home Evening; and of general 
interest.) 

^Sympho News, Ogden (Utah) ed., Septem- 
ber, 1959. Published by Utah Symphony 
Orchestra. 




C. G. Conn, world's largest man- 
ufacturer of band instruments, 
used this for a sales slogan: 
"Teach your boy to blow a horn, 
and he'll never blow a safe." 

Bruce Wallace, program director 
and instructor at Utah Industrial 
School for 13 years, found only 
one student in that institution who 
had ever played a musical instru- 
ment, and he had played it for only 
a short time. 

The superintendent at one of 
our largest penitentiaries planned 
to organize a prison band. The in- 
struments were bought, the direc- 
tor hired, and all details worked 
out. When the survey was made for 
membership, not one man in the 
institution had ever played a mu- 
sical instrument. 

Music mellows; music refines; 
music softens the heart. Two men 
who were having a quarrel decided 
to take their problems to their 
bishop. He met them in his home, 
and after he offered prayer, he 
said: "Brethren, we will begin by 
singing a hymn." He handed them 
an open hymnbook and began sing- 
ing "Angry Words." Neither man 
joined him. When he had finished, 
he said, "Now, brethren, we'll sing 
another hymn." He sang, "Let Us 
Oft Speak Kind Words to Each 
Other." One man joined him on 
the last verse. When they had fin- 
ished, he said: "Brethren, we'll 
sing another hymn." This time 
both men joined him in singing, 
"Nay, Speak No 111." 

Tears came to their eyes; and 
when they had finished, they shook 
hands and said, "Bishop, we 



haven't any problems we can't set- 
tle on the way home." 

Let music play the important 
part it can play in Family Home 
Evening. Singing about the Gospel 
is one way we can understand its 
principles and live according to 
them. Through singing of hymns, 
we can teach our children love 
toward God and toward their fel- 
lowmen. We can teach them obedi- 
ence, honesty, and virtue. 

Dr. Clair W. Johnson, in his 
book, Worship in Song, says: 
"Singing about the Gospel in- 
creases our understanding of Gos- 
pel principles and provides an 
outlet for our deepest feelings. 
Singing hymns will change the 
lives of people, old and young. 
Singing strengthens testimony and 
makes us determined to live right- 
eous lives. Singing is a mighty 
force in fighting evil" 

A 6-year-old son said to his 
father: "Dad, do you want to hear 
me sing a song we learned in 
school?" 

"Yes," the father replied. 

The boy sang: "You're a grand 
old flag, you're a high flying flag. 
. . ." Tears came to the father's 
eyes, and both felt a greater love 
for their flag and for their great 
nation. 

When the entire King family 
sings "Love at Home," we really 
see what music can do for a family. 

Have you ever thought, "It is far 
more thrilling to perform than to 
listen"? Cheap television and radio 
programs are no competition for 
musical families. 

Plan your Family Home Eve- 
ning carefully. You are missing out 
if you do not make music an im- 
portant part of it. 

— Delmar H. Dickson. 



Library File Reference: Music. 



464 



THE INSTRUCTOR 




|TJ AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST 

As an apostle of Jesus Christ, 
Joseph Smith put forth to the 
world a sure knowledge of Christ 
and of His saving principles. He 
was the greatest witness of the 
resurrection since Peter, and sealed 
his testimony with his blood. 



^ SCRIPTURE AND WRITINGS 
Book of Mormon (1829). 
Pearl of Great Price: 

Book of Moses (1830). 

Book of Abraham (1835-42). 

Matthew 24. 

Writings of Joseph Smith. 

The Articles of Faith. 
Record of John— extract (1829) 

D&C7. 
Inspired Translation of Bible (1830- 

33) not completed nor officially 

published. 
Doctrine and Covenants. 
History of the Church (DHC), 

7 volumes. 



yj RELIGIOUS PHILOSOPHY AND 

DOCTRINE 
God: 

Nature of the Godhead. 

Man: 

New concept of the nature of man. 

Man's relationship to God. 

Immortality of the soul, including 

pre-mortal existence. 
Sinlessness of little children. 
Eternalism: 

Eternal nature of marriage. 
Resurrection of all mankind: 

Future kingdoms with and 
without glory. 



4j PRIESTHOOD AUTHORITY 

Priesthood: 

Aaronic (1829). 

Melchizedek (1829). 

Keys: 

Sealing (1836) (Elijah). 

Gathering of Israel (1836) (Moses). 

Gospel of Abraham (1836) (Elias). 

Many other keys (D&C 128:21). 



5. 



CHURCH ORGANIZATION 
Presiding Councils: 
Bishop (1831). 
First Presidency (1833). 
Patriarch (1833). 
Council of Twelve (1835). 
Council of Seventy (1835). 
Quorums and Officers: 
Quorum duties, size and organi 

zation (D&C 20; 107). 



CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE PROPHET 



Following are several major areas of contribution made by the 
Prophet Joseph Smith in establishing a dispensation of the 
Gospel upon the earth. These illustrate the statement that 
he (( has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men 
in this world, than any man that ever lived in it." 

— Doctrine and Covenants 135:3. 



Members of Church: 

Requirements for admission 

(D&C 20). 
Duties (D&C 20; 107). 
Judicial System: 
D&C 42, 68, 107. 
Stake and Ward Organization: 
Stake— Kirtland, Ohio. 
Wards — Nauvoo, Illinois. 



6j MISSIONARY ACTIVITY 
Principles: 

Active missionary service to be 
major activity of this dispensa- 
tion. 

Accomplishment: 

Started formal missionary work in 
1830. 

{¥} GATHERING OF ISRAEL 
Principles: 

Established the idea of the 

"gathering." (Teachings, p. 92.) 

Accomplishment: 

Started the gathering in this 
dispensation. 

Gathered many thousands from 
throughout the American contin- 
ent and Europe. 



8j ECONOMIC AFFAIRS 
Established the Principles of: 

Consecration and Stewardship. 

United Order. 

Tithing. 

Welfare System. 

Accomplishments: 

United Order in Ohio and 

Missouri. 
Tithing instituted. 



9J TEMPLES 
Principles: 

Established the true purpose of 

temples. 
Ordinances for the living and 

dead: Baptisms, endowments, 

sealings. 
Accomplishment: 
First temple, 1836. 
Nauvoo temple under construction 

at time of the Prophet's death. 



10 GENEALOGICAL PROGRAM 

Introduced the principles of record 
keeping and family genealogy. 
Emphasized the absolute impor- 
tance of this work. 
(D&C 127, 117, 128.) 

Q]} EDUCATION 
Principles: 
Taught that glory of God is 

intelligence. 
No one saved in ignorance. 



Accomplishment: 

Established School of the Prophets, 

1832 (first school in America for 

adult education). 

[12} POLITICAL AND MILITARY 

AFFAIRS 
Political: 
Developed design for city of Zion, 

(1833). 
Candidate for office of President 

of U. S. in 1844. 
Gave views on power and policy 

of United States Government: 

Territorial expansion. 

Liberation of slaves. 

National banking system. 

Prison reform. 
Military: 
Established pattern for Zion's camp; 

later used in exodus to Utah. 
Lieutenant-general of Nauvoo 

Legion. 



13j CODE OF HEALTH 

Word of Wisdom, 1833, 
(D&C 89). 



14] WOMEN'S RIGHTS 
Organized Relief Society, 1842. 



with 



15] SCRIPTURAL MEANINGS 
Gave increased meaning to: 
Revelation 14:6-7, an angel 

the Gospel. 
Isaiah 4:2, mountain of the Lord's 

House. 
Isaiah 29:10-14, the sealed book. 
Malachi 4:5-6, coming of Elijah. 
I Peter 3:18-20; 4:6, the Gospel 

preached to the dead. 
I Corinthians 15:29, baptism for 

the dead. 
Explained the meaning of many of 

Jesus' parables. 



16 SCIENTIFIC TRUTHS 

Indestructibility of matter 

(DHC 6:308-9). 
No immaterial matter; spirit is pure 

and refined element 

(D&C 131:7-8). 
Truth is light and spirit 

(D&C 84:6-18; 93:29-30). 
Knowledge of the planetary 

system (D&C 3:27). 



17) HISTORICAL TRUTHS 

Origin of American aborigines. 

History of ancient American 
peoples. 

Origin of writing and record keep- 
ing (Moses 6:5, 6, 46). 



THE INSTRUCTOR 
NOVEMBER 1965 



r**#M»Nr<»>#v#N»s 



^y^jhjp'njfc^htjy ^s 



4^^^<N^<^^# > ^ I| | # , ^^#N^#^^#■ 



+4h0*++0Sf&4 



KEY TO ABBREVIATIONS: 
D&C — Doctrine and Covenants 
DHC — Documentary History of the Church 
Teachings — Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith 



Compiled by 
Robert J. Matthews. 



1/3 FIRST COUNCIL OF 

47 E s unfit 

S I CITY 1! UTAH 




AGAIN 



Last night I almost caused a 
traffic pileup while driving home 
from the office. Along the high- 
way I saw a shirt-sleeved friend, 
briefcase in hand, walking briskly 
toward his home, over a mile away. 
My first impulse was to slam on 
the brakes and offer him a ride. 

Then I remembered that he likes 
to get out and walk like a school- 
boy to and from his office. He is 
also known to enjoy competing in 
foot races with his college stu- 
dents. At times he seems thor- 
oughly to love being a boy again, 
though his hair is silver and his 
reputation as an eminent chemist 
circles the globe. His name is 
Henry Eyring. 

Dr. Eyring has conquered many 
frontiers in chemistry. I have seen 
him take a complex, even frighten- 
ing, subject in his field and in a 
lecture make it readily under- 
standable to us laymen. More 
than that, his talks on science and 
religion can be as refreshingly ex- 
citing and elevating as a high ride 
on a ski lift. He has a tremendous 
zest for life. Perhaps a reason is 
that he can put aside his cares and 
lose himself in boyhood bliss. 

Other happily successful men 
have been like that. 

(For Course 3. lesson of November 14, 
"We Are Grateful for Life"; for Course 9, 
general use; and of general interest.) 



Second Class Postage Paid 
at Salt Lake City, Utah 



DR. HENRY EYRING: his lessons are refreshingly elevating. 



Theodore Roosevelt while in the 
White House made history in 
cracking down on big business 
trusts and militant labor leaders. 
He was hailed internationally for 
bringing peace in the Russo-Jap- 
anese War, and for staving off 
World War I by checkmating the 
Kaiser in Morocco. But during all 
this history making, at the same 
White House he reveled in pillow 
fights and hide-and-seek with his 
children. 1 He often ripped into a 
boxing foe in the White House 
gym, and he was known to sneak 
off with his sons and fry steaks in 
a skillet over a campfire and sleep 
rolled up in a blanket under the 
stars. He once interrupted a con- 
ference with the Attorney General 
to discuss three pet snakes his son 
Quentin had dumped in his lap. 2 

Shortly after completing his 
second term as President, he was 
off for big game hunting in Africa. 
And while pushing inland by rail 
from Mombasa in East Africa, 
Teddy rode for two days on the 
slow-moving engine's cowcatcher. 
He wanted a youth's-eye-view of 
monkeys swinging in the trees, 
wheeling jungle birds, and herds 
of giraffes, zebras, and waterbucks. 

John Fitzgerald Kennedy did 
not take his statesmanship so ser- 
iously that he could not pull on 
an old sweatshirt and sneakers and 
hurry over to the Georgetown 
campus. There he lost himself with 
a football and youths who perhaps 
did not realize they were catching 
passes from a Congressman. 3 Even 
after he had been elected Presi- 
dent, he joined others of his fam- 
ily for a favorite game of touch 

iAlvin F. Harlow, Theodore Roosevelt, 
Strenuous America; New York, Julian Mess- 
ner, Inc., 1943; pages 214, 249, 252. 

^Hermann Hagedorn, The Roosevelt Family 
of Sagamore Hill; New York, The Macmillan 
Company, 1954; page 255. 

3 James MacGregor Burns, John Kennedy, 
a Political Profile; New York, Hartcourt, 
Brace & Company, 1960; page 72. 



football on the playing fields of 
Hyannis Port. 4 

No man I have known seemed 
to enjoy life more fully than 
George D. Pyper, for many years 
manager of the old Salt Lake 
Theatre, and for his last eight 
years Sunday School General Su- 
perintendent. His hair was white 
as snow when I was his office as- 
sociate. But I remember how he 
would drop everything at his busy 
desk and hurry out to see a circus 
parade. Then his eyes — dimmed 
with age — would light up boyishly 
as he would tell about the calliope 
and wild animals. Only a few days 
before his death George D. Pyper 
smacked his lips over an ice cream 
cone in his hospital oxygen tent. 

Life appeared to bubble and 
sparkle for him because he could 
toss away his cares and be a boy 
again — often. 

I have been finishing this ar- 
ticle by a lake in the rugged Saw- 
tooth Mountains, which push their 
rocky spires mightily over the 
clouds and into the blue. Overhead 
a small squirrel has been chirping 
from a pine bough. His staccato 
tones have the happy whistle of 
youth. Now and again he spirit- 
edly shakes his bushy, black- 
tipped tail. It almost seems like 
an admonishing finger. He could 
be talking to me. He might be 
saying: 

"Life is often bleak and steep 
and hard and hazardous like those 
yonder peaks. Get away from 
life's struggles at times. Whistle 
like a barefoot boy. Play like a 
chirping, bushy-tailed squirrel 
scampering across a bough. You 
will live longer, and much, much 
more happily, too." 

— Wendell J. Ashton. 

^William Manchester, Portrait of a Presi- 
dent; Boston, Mass., Little, Brown and Com- 
pany, 1962; page 29. 
Library File Reference: Living.